Parents and carers should contact school on 01228 404769, or via email on attendance@newman.cumbria.sch.uk by 9.00am EVERY day their child is absent.
If you would like to speak to a member of staff regarding your child's attendance please contact the attendance team. General queries can be made via the contact details above.
Reporting Absences
Parents/carers should contact school on 01228 404769, or via email on attendance@newman.cumbria.sch.uk by 9.00am every day your child is absent, as it becomes a safeguarding concern if we do not hear from you.
If school has had no notification, contact will be made with you directly. All unexplained absences will be recorded as unauthorised, which can result in a referral to the Attendance Officer at the Local Authority. Please refer to the Local Authority’s approach to attendance, via the link below:
Expectations
We place a strong emphasis on attendance and punctuality. Not only does this impact on achievement directly at GCSE, but it also prepares our pupils for life beyond school and the world of work. The Government and Local Authority’s aim is that every child (where possible) achieves 95% attendance. Attendance below 90% is defined as ‘persistent absenteeism’. If this becomes the case, in the first instance we will try to support you through meetings with our attendance team. However, if absence continues to decline, we would request the support of the Local Authority. New guidelines include fixed penalty notices and potential prosecution. We cannot authorise term time holidays and will be guided by the Local Authority in circumstances such as this.
Why attendance matters
Attendance at school directly ties into academic achievement. Being in school more often, means that your child receives more of the curriculum in each subject. The more absence they have, the less likely they are to be able to catch up on missed learning. Furthermore, there are social impacts when pupils miss school as the less they attend, the less opportunities they encounter to develop the social skills required for employment and adulthood.
Punctuality
Good punctuality at school is essential for students to achieve their full educational potential. It is also vital for students to form good habits for later life. Punctuality records form part of references passed onto employers or higher educational institutes.
All students are expected to arrive punctually for school in the morning (by 8.50am, ready for their tutor time) and to arrive punctually for each lesson. A register is taken at the start of the day and during each lesson. Students arriving late are recorded on the register, along with how many minutes late they are.
