At Beckfoot Heaton, we understand that barriers to accessing education are wide and complex, both within and beyond the school gates, and are often specific to individual pupils and families. We therefore want to ensure that we support our pupils and their families to attend school regularly by making Beckfoot Heaton a place where pupils want to be. We are committed to creating an environment that is calm, safe, and supportive, where all students can enjoy belonging, be ready to learn, and be determined to succeed.
Our Expectations
- Students will attend school every day
- Students will be on time to school and their lessons
- Students will always be prepared for school by having enough sleep, wearing the correct uniform, and having the right equipment
Students meeting these expectations will achieve well, be protected from risk of harm, and secure and maintain positive friendships with their peers at school.
Attendance and Punctuality Policy
Key contacts
Attendance is everyone’s business, and all members of our staff understand they they have a role to play in supporting good attendance. To learn more about our key contacts roles and responsibilities, please view our local attendance protocol.
- Jodie Price – Attendance Officer
- Davina Blanshard-Jones – Assistant Headteacher, SENCO, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Angela Morgan – Child Protection Officer and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Louise Sugden – Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Zoe Mawson – Headteacher
What do I do if my child is not well enough to come to school?
If your child is absent from school you must telephone the school office on 01274 36370, Extension 1, or email [email protected] before 8:30am every day to provide a reason.
If we receive no confirmation of the reason you will receive a text message and/or phone call home from the school office. If we receive no response to telephone calls or text messages a home visit may be carried out.
If your child is absent for more than 3 days then you will receive a home visit to see if any support is required. We monitor attendance daily and weekly. If we are concerned that your child’s attendance is dropping, we will arrange to check in with you.
If your child’s attendance drops below 90% then your child will be put on the persistent absentee list and further support will be put in place. A home visit by the Safeguarding and Welfare Team can be conducted at any point during a child’s absence.
Medical and dental appointments
Medical and dental appointments should be made before or after school wherever possible, however, if an appointment is required during school hours, school should be made aware in advance and their must be provision of some evidence to authorise the absence.
Holidays in term time
Unfortunately, holidays will not be authorised for our pupils (unless in exceptional circumstances) as the lessons they miss will have a detrimental effect on their progress and academic success.
Families taking children on holiday in term time must fill in a Leave of Absence Request form. This is so we know the wherabouts of pupils when they are not in school.
If families choose to take an unauthorised leave of absences in term time, then families are at risk of a £80 per child per parent fine from Bradford Council. In a 12 month period, if there are two or more incidents of unauthorised absence or if four or more weeks of unauthorised leave is taken, Bradford Council may start legal proceedings which could be a fine of £2,500 per child per parent, a criminal record and/or a custodial sentence of up to 3 months.
Punctuality
Gates open at 8.15am and close at 8.26am. School begins at 8.30am when the register is taken. If your child arrives after registration they will receive a late mark. After 8.45am your child will be marked as an unauthorised, and the whole session will be classed as an unauthorised absence.
Our learning starts as soon as the children step into the classroom. We have ‘morning tasks’ where children complete tasks such as practising number facts, times tables, spelling or quizzes on their learning. The teacher explains the visual timetable for the day and goes through the lunch menu.
We understand that sometimes children might be late for unforeseen circumstances, and you will bring your child in through the office if you are late. Please let us know if you think you are going to be late.
When children are regularly late, they can feel embarrassed walking into a classroom that has already begun learning and they can feel upset or distressed if this is happening regularly. Please contact the school if you are struggling to get here on time.To support families to get children to school on time we can offer:
Breakfast Club – From 7.45am daily, families can drop children at the main office for breakfast club.
Drive and Drop – between 8.15am-8.30am, we invite families to drop off their children on the drive, where staff meet and greet and help children get safely into school.
Recognising good attendance at Beckfoot Heaton
- Weekly celebration assembly recognising the classes with best and most improved attendance
- Spotlight attendance weeks with certificates and prizes
- Raffle prizes such as vouchers for family trips
- Postcards sent for 100% attendance
- Termly prize draw Cinema trips for children who have attended 100%
We believe that all students are more likely to attend school regularly if the curriculum is engaging and personalised to meet their needs, and if they have targets and rewards to work towards.
How will we support you?
- We will build close and productive relationships with families to ensure that any attendance issues can be tackled and any barriers to attendance are removed.
- Creating intervention or reintegration plans in partnership with our pupils and their parents/carers.
- Encourage good attendance by making our classrooms and school a place where all pupils can and want to be.