Attendance at Leeds East Academy
Soaring to Success
Attendance is the keystone to securing outstanding outcomes for each and every student at Leeds East Academy. Students who demonstrate resilience in attendance benefit from better results and are also rewarded with unique opportunities.
At Leeds East Academy we believe the home-Academy partnership is essential and will help our learners to achieve and succeed.
Research going back many years has consistently told us, not surprisingly, that parents are the most important people in their children’s lives, and that support for their children’s learning and development is crucial.
Let’s work together and ensure our young people achieve and succeed.
Every Day Counts
Your child’s Attendance target is 97% +
Leeds East Academy Attendance Team
LEA Attendance Team
Lauren Bean – Director of Ethos, Values and Attendance
S Bennett – Attendance Leader (Key Stage 4)
D Graham – Senior Attendance Officer (Key Stage 3)
K Impey – Attendance and Community Officer (Key Stage 4)
V Burton – Assistant Attendance and Community Officer (Key Stage 3)
Wider Attendance Team
G Major – Key Stage 3 Pastoral Leader
B Carey – Key Stage 4 Pastoral Leader
C Carrington – Key Stage 4 Attendance and Behaviour Leader
S Burton – Key Stage 3 Attendance and Behaviour Leader
V Clapshaw – Attendance and Behaviour Manager
P Biscome – Attendance and Behaviour Manager
A Razaila – GRT Community Liaison Manager
J Hayward – SENCO
J Nolan-Thomas – Head of EAL
The relevant attendance officer will support your child to ensure they are meeting the academy expectation of 97% and they will work together, with your support, to achieve the best possible outcome.
If you have any concerns or updates regarding your child’s attendance please contact the academy on 0113 273 1964 (option 3).
There is an expectation that all parents inform the academy of absence; any absence unexplained will be followed up with a home visit.
Regular attendance at school is vital to help your child achieve and get the best possible start in life. There are 30 days in a 6-week half term. If your child has 1 and a half days off school, their attendance will be 95%. Good attendance is central to students’ academic achievement and personal development.
GREEN
GREEN | 97.1% - 100% |
AMBER
AMBER | 90.1% - 97% |
RED
RED | BELOW 90% |
*NB The minimum attendance expected from any student is 97% (Band G3)
Attendance during one school year | Equals days absent | Which is approximately weeks absent | Which means the number of lessons missed | Absence over five years |
95% | 9 days | 2 weeks | 50 lessons | ¼ year |
90% | 19 days | 4 weeks | 100 lessons | ½ year |
80% | 38 days | 8 weeks | 200 lessons | 1 year |
70% | 57 days | 11½ weeks | 288 lessons | 1¼ years |
60% | 80 days | 16 weeks | 400 lessons | 2 years |
50% | 100 days | 20 weeks | 500 lessons | 2½ year |
Attendance Incentives
- 100% Elite Club
- 97% rewards (LEA on GLICE, Summer Fair and Theme Park Trips)
- Access to Golden Ticket Events
- Treat Weeks
- Movie Afternoons
- Prize draws
Parental Responsibilities
- In order to facilitate this process, parents with children at Leeds East Academy are expected to:
- inform school by telephone 0113 273 1964 option 1 on the first morning of any absence before 9.30am
- provide a note to cover the absence on the child’s return to school
- ensure that their child gets to school on time
- ensure that their child catches up on missed work to avoid ‘gaps’ in their knowledge.
- not take family holidays during term time (see further guidance below)
- Only the Principal may authorise such absences. Absences without permission from school will be registered as unauthorised (equivalent to truancy).
We understand that maintaining high attendance is the key to success however, there may be times when absence is unavoidable. In these situations, where possible, we request that you complete an 'Exceptional Circumstances Form' from the attendance office prior to the absence. Parents should complete the forms and return them to the attendance office for the Principal to authorise. We will notify you of the decision so you are informed if the absence is authorised or unauthorised. These absences will still affect absence % however your child will still be able to part of our exciting rewards system.“
Exceptional Circumstances’ include:
- Illness of student
- Representative event (for example sport, music or school)
- Religious observance
- Family bereavement (immediate family)
- Family crisis
- Employer/further education/school interview
Any other ‘exceptional circumstances’ will be at the discretion of the Principal and a student’s attendance record will be taken into account when deciding whether or not to grant permission for absence.
‘Exceptional Circumstances’ DO NOT include:
- looking after siblings
- birthday or other celebrations
- shopping
- attendance at local events e.g. Great Yorkshire Show
The Legal Framework
Under The Education Act 1999, parents are responsible for ensuring that children of compulsory school age receive full-time education. Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their child’s regular attendance at the school where they are registered.
If a child of compulsory school age who is registered at a school fails to attend regularly at the school, the parent is guilty of an offence under this Act.
Aims
At LEA we firmly believe that all students benefit from regular school attendance. The aim of this guidance is to minimise the amount of time lost due to absence in order to maximise the educational potential of every student. This can be achieved with the support of parents by ensuring absence, including holidays, is not taken during term time unless there are ‘exceptional circumstances’*.
At LEA, in order for an attendance record to be deemed good, it must be 97% or above.