Notre Dame Catholic College
and Sixth Form

Attendance

Notre Dame Catholic College is a school committed to providing a high-quality education to the students whom we are privileged to have entrusted to our care, giving them, in the words of St Julie, “what they need for life.”

We acknowledge the clear link between the attendance and attainment of students. We would encourage all students to aim for 100% attendance. If your son/daughter achieves 97% this would mean that they have missed approximately five school days in an academic year. Setting high expectations for outstanding attendance at school is also beneficial for students to prepare for their life beyond their time with us at Notre Dame. Outstanding attendance and punctuality is a life skill which help students prepare for employment in the future and demonstrates reliability.

Our Attendance Team

Attendance Officer: Mrs P Shrimpton

Attendance Admin : Mrs H Emsley & Mrs J Galbraith

Senior Leadership: Mrs E Brennan (Senior Assistant Headteacher / Designated Safeguarding Lead)

School Pastoral Team can be found here

How to contact us:

Contact email: Attendance@notredame.liverpool.sch.uk

Telephone: 0151 330 5122 (Option 1 for Attendance)

 

 

 

Our Attendance Policy can be found here

We encourage all students to aim for the highest possible level of attendance and punctuality so that they can achieve their very best in school academically. Good attendance is also important in building friendships and relationships with peers.

At KS4, pupils not achieving grade 9 to 4 in English and maths had an overall absence rate of 8.8%. This tells us that generally students who miss 17 school days per year (91.9% attendance) do not achieve higher than a level 3 in English and Maths.

If your child does not attend school, or is not taking part in an approved educational activity, they are marked as ABSENT from school. This means that if your child is off school for any reason, even if they are ill or have medical permission to be off school, they are marked as ABSENT. When students are absent they are missing valuable learning time. This can cause students to fall behind in their studies with gaps in their knowledge and understanding of topics studied.

Absence Procedures

Give your child the best start in life – every school day counts.

If a pupil is unable to attend school for any reason, please follow the steps below:

  • If a pupil is unwell or requires a day off school, their Parent/Carer must contact the school before 8.30am. Please call 0151 330 5122 and select OPTION 1. This will direct you to our Attendance Team OR to leave a voicemail message. When leaving a voicemail message, please ensure you include your child’s full name, the reason for their absence and how long you expect them to be absent. Our Attendance Team will access this message directly.
  • Alternatively, you can report an absence through our school communications App, ParentApp. You can do this via the app on your phone. Please select CONTENT > ABSENCE REPORTING > Complete the form and submit. If you do not have access to ParentApp, please contact the school main office (0151 330 5122) for advice on how to set this up.

 

  • On returning to school, the pupil should bring a note from their Parent/Carer explaining their absence. This should be given to our Attendance Team at the Student Services desk by the student’s entrance to school. A medical note will be required if a child’s attendance drops below 90% to explain any absences.

Holidays in Term Time

By law, parents/carers have no legal right to take children out of school for a family holiday.

From 1st September 2013, legislation changed and the Headteacher, can no longer authorise absence for holidays in term time. The Headteacher can only authorise leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. You will be required to produce a letter expressing your wish to take leave during term time, attaching evidence of exceptional circumstances and returned to Mrs P Shrimpton, Attendance Officer. (Email: Attendance@notredame.liverpool.sch.uk )

The headteacher can decide what an exceptional circumstance is and how many days will be allowed. Unauthorised holidays in term time may trigger a penalty notice being issued. See our attendance policy here.

Where children of compulsory school age (5-16) are registered at school, the law says that they should attend regularly (Section 444 of the Education Act 1996). That is unless a child is engaged in an approved educational activity away from the school site or is absent with the school’s authority.

Medical appointments should be made outside of school hours. 

However, if a pupil is required to attend a medical appointment during the school day the following procedure should be followed:

  • The pupil will be required to show proof of appointment. This will either be paper based (letter or appointment card) or electronically on their phone (digital appointment letter / email / text reminder). The student must show this to their Head of Year or Assistant Head of Year at the beginning of the school day.
  • The pupil’s Head of Year/Assistant Head of Year will issue a note to approve the leave which they can show to their class teacher’s at the time they need to go. Student’s will then need to go to our main reception to ‘sign out’ via the electronic screen next to the school office. Our Office Team may also request to see the approval from their Head of Year.
  • Pupils will be expected to return to school after their appointment. When they return,  students will be required to sign in via the electronic screen next to the school office in main reception.This will alert our Attendance Team that the student has returned. Once signed in, students can return straight to their timetabled lesson.
  • Please note: We politely request that Parents / Carers inform their child of their appointment time before they start the school day so the pupil is aware of when they need to leave and what time they are expected to make their way to Student Services/Reception. They will be expected to alert their teacher and make their own way to Reception at this time. It is not always possible for our office staff to issue a tannoy for students leaving for appointments so please ensure your child is aware of what time they are required to meet you/leave for their appointment to avoid any unecessary delays.
  • Students in Year 7-10 require a parent or guardian to collect them when leaving school through the course of the day (either for an appointment or if they are being sent home unwell). Students will not be allowed to leave without a parent or guardian unless this has been agreed by a member of the leadership team in advance. Students in Year 11 and Sixth Form are able to leave independently if required.
  • If a student feels unwell during the course of the day, they should inform their Head of Year or Assistant Head of Year. The Head of Year / Assistant Head of Year will assess if the student requires any first aid or if they will need to go home. If so, a member of staff will contact home to request the child is collected. Please note: Students should not be contacting parents/carers directly to request to come home unwell during the school day. If your child does contact home directly, we ask that you remind your child to seek their Head of Year and if required, to call the school to confirm they have approached their Head of Year and made staff aware that they feel unwell. 

Attendance Rewards

Students who achieve 100% attendance will qualify for a range of rewards throughout the academic years.

Excellent attendance and improved attendance will be celebrated by rewarding individuals, groups and classes. Examples of rewards include an invite to attendance reward events such as an activity afternoon, reward trip and/or entrance into prize draws throughout the academic year.

Annual 100% attendance is rewarded via prizes at the whole school annual prizegiving event.

School trips and events will be considered a privilege. Where attendance drops below 90% , these privileges may be taken away. The school will develop strategies for ensuring that students with health needs or home circumstances that result in additional absences are not unfairly excluded from attendance rewards, e.g. by setting individualised targets.

Attendance at reward events and trips is at the discretion of the Head of Year after discussion with the Attendance Officer and Senior Leadership Team. Parents/Carers will be kept notified of rewards through the weekly College Newsletter.

Attendance over 5 years

Your son/daughter will spend 5  years (at least) at Notre Dame Catholic College

If your child has had:

85-90% attendance – this means that your child has missed almost half of one year from school!

80% attendance – this means that your son/daughter has missed 38 weeks of school – this is the same as ONE whole academic year.

If you child’s absence is causing concern, you will be required to attend a meeting with our school’s Attendance Officer – Mrs P Shrimpton and/or the Education Welfare Officer. This will be a supportive meeting, in order to avoid legal sanctions.

The Law

As a parent/carer you are legally responsible for:

  • Ensuring your child receives full time education.
  • Ensuring that your child attends school regularly.

You can meet your legal responsibilities, and give your child a helping hand, by:

  • Ensuring that your child attends school every day.
  • Monitoring your child’s attendance at school – be aware of how many days they have been absent.
  • Ensuring your child is punctual by leaving home in time to get to school by 8.40 am.
  • Work with school staff by communicating any issues or concerns which may be a barrier to attendance.
  • Attending parents’ evenings and other events to support your child in school.
  • Notify the school as soon as possible when your son/daughter will be absent.
  • Making medical or dental appointments for your child outside of school hours (except in urgent cases).
  • Providing medical evidence for all appointments during school time, ensuring your child attends school prior to and after these appointments.
  • Informing school on the first day of absences  – giving reason for absence and any subsequent days.

Don’t be late… if your child arrives after 8.45am they are late

A prompt arrival at school will enable your child to start the day in a relaxed, enjoyable manner with participation in Inspire time or collective worship when important notices are given out.

If your child is late for school or lessons, they could incur a detention after school.

We are always happy to support students and families with any issues relating to attendance and punctuality. 

If your son/daughter is unhappy at school please speak to a member of staff and we will work together to support them where possible.

If you have any concerns please contact your child’s form tutor, assistant head of year or head of yearThe pastoral team can be found here.

Pupils can arrive to school from 8am and attend Breakfast Club in our Lower Canteen. This is free for all pupils to attend. there is also a selection of free bagels and cereals on offer for all students or additional breakfast items are available to purchase. Our school Library is also open from 8am.

We ask that all pupils arrive to school no later than 8.40am, ready for an 8.45am form time or assembly.

A full breakdown of our School Day including lesson times and break / lunch times can be found below.

Our School Day

Our typical School Day amounts to 30 hours 35 minutes per week, excluding any extra-curricular activity/club time.

Monday to Thursday

Years 7, 8 and 11
  Start Finish
Form Time 08:45 09:15
Lesson 1 09:15 10:15
Lesson 2 10:15 11:15
Break 11.15 11.30
Lesson 3 11:30 12:30
Lunch 12:30 13:00
Lesson 4 13:00 14:00
Lesson 5 14:00 15:00

 

Friday

Years 7, 8 and 11
  Start Finish
Form Time 08:45 09:00
Lesson 1 09:00 10:00
Lesson 2 10.00 11:00
Break 11.00 11.15
Lesson 3 11:15 12:15
Lunch 12:15 12.45
Lesson 4 12.45 13.45
Lesson 5 13.45 14.20

 

Monday to Thursday

Years 9, 10, 12 and 13
Start Finish
Form Time 08:45 09:15
Lesson 1 09:15 10:15
Lesson 2 10:15 11:15
Break               11.15 11.30
Lesson 3 11:30 12:30
Lesson 4 12:30 13:30
Lunch             13.30 14.00
Lesson 5 14.00 15.00

 

Friday

Years 9, 10, 12 and 13
Start Finish
Form Time 08:45 09:00
Lesson 1 09:00 10:00
Lesson 2 10:00 11:00
Break               11.00 11.15
Lesson 3 11:15 12:15
Lesson 4 12:15 13:15
Lunch             13.15 13.45
Lesson 5 13.45 14.20

Working Together to Improve Attendance

School staff will work with parents/carers in an effort to improve attendance which may include using external agencies for support.