Attendance
Our aspiration is for every child to achieve 100% attendance and punctuality (unless a medical condition prevents this). Parents and carers of the students at West Lancashire Community High School are required to ensure that they receive sufficient full-time education. Here at West Lancashire, we do all we can to support school attendance and take seriously any issues that may lead to non-attendance.
Good school attendance is essential to ensure that all children and young people make the most of the educational opportunities available and achieve their full potential whilst ensuring that all students stay safe. We believe this sets good habits for later in life, and ultimately if your child is not in school, they cannot learn!
Parent Information Leaflet
Parent Information Leaflet Attendance 2024
School Attendance and the Law
By law, all children of compulsory school age must receive a suitable full-time education. As a parent or guardian, you have a legal responsibility to make sure this happens. We take pride in our attendance figures and work with parents and carers to maintain such consistency.
Persistent Absence Guidelines
All students with below 92% attendance consistently will be considered as persistently absent. If your child is persistently absent you may be asked to attend regular attendance reviews and your child’s attendance will be closely monitored by:
• Regular contact with home
• Home visits
• Collecting students from home with parental support
Below are the potential pathways that may be used to support families in attendance improvement.
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Potential Attendance Support Pathways |
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Attendance Care Plan |
Attendance Action Plan |
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Attendance Care Plans are used for students who have known reasons and needs that may impact on long-term attendance.
There may be a number of reasons for this including;
Care Plans will be offered to all families with valid and supported reasons for lower attendance at school. This will put together in partnership between families, agency partners and school staff through a meeting in school.
Plans will be reviewed regularly. There will still be a focus on improving attendance but formal procedures will not be undertaken. |
Attendance Action Plans are used for students where reasons are consistent unknown for absence or there is limited contact with the family.
The plan will be written by school but in conjunction with families and other agencies if deemed necessary.
The plan will follow a strict timescale for improvement and will be monitored by staff at school.
On review, if there is no improvement, additional measures may be sought including referral to Lancashire County Council’s Attendance Team (PAST)
For students in Year 11 and above, lack of improvement in attendance may lead to an Emergency EHC Review. |
Our Responsibility
- School has a legal duty to record the attendance of every student, or record them absent or late.
- The register is taken at the beginning of both morning and afternoon sessions.
- Any absences to be actioned by the school office through daily telephone calls.
- Any attendance patterns of concern will be discussed through weekly welfare meetings in school.
- If for any reason a student has an appointment to leave school during the day, school should be informed of this prior to the day.
- All class registers are completed showing the exact reasons for a student’s absence.
- School to regularly inform parents of attendance patterns through letters home.
- All unexplained absences will be followed up and reported by the school to the Local Authority.
School Percentage Thresholds
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Blue Attendance |
Green Attendance |
Amber Attendance |
Red Attendance |
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100% |
92% and above |
Below 92% |
Below 88% |
Our Letter
We will send a letter if we have some concerns regarding the attendance of your child. We try to make our communication as supportive as possible and we prefer two way communication to ensure we all strive for the best outcomes for the students. It is vital that you make contact with the class team or Mr. D Mullen as soon as you receive any communications regarding attendance. This will allow us to work collaboratively to set targets and improve attendance outcomes.
Parental Responsibility
How to help your child improve their attendance record:
• Your child must come to school every day.
• Ensure that they arrive at school on time each day.
• Try to make hospital, doctor and dentist visits outside school hours.
• Please inform school in writing of any appointments known in advance.
• Don’t take holidays in term time – requests for family holidays in term time will not be authorised unless under exceptional circumstances. If something is stopping your child from coming to school, please let us know. Please contact the school on the first day of absence before 9 am on 01695 721487.
Things That Help
- Help children to prepare for school by getting things ready the night before.
- Make sure uniform is ready – especially after holidays or the weekend.
- Try countdown charts to alleviate anxieties, especially after holidays and weekends.
- Make sure there is a regular bed-time routine to encourage plenty of sleep.
- Encourage young people to find a non-tech activity before bedtime, if not, set to night-mode as this will reduce blue light.
- Have an alarm clock for the family to get up – allowing time for breakfast and shower etc.
- Have a daily checklist to support your child's routines – PE kit etc.
- Make sure they are ready and waiting for transport as part of a regular routine.
- Talk positively about school and encourage communication about their day.
- Most important, talk to school if there are any issues. The earlier we communicate with each other, the better the outcomes will be with the right intervention at the right time.
Attendance Policy
The Attendance Policy has been updated to reflect current research and intervention regarding Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). The policy also includes examples of letters and plans that you may receive in relation to attendance matters.