The Attendance Team 

Tel: 0113 205 9551 

E-mail: attendance@oa.catrust.uk 

Attendance Matters at Oulton Academy

At Oulton Academy, we believe that every day counts. Good attendance and punctuality play a vital role in helping students succeed and reflect our Academy motto:
Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow.

We have high expectations for attendance because being in school every day gives students the best chance to learn, grow, and achieve their full potential.

We value strong partnerships with parents and carers, as attendance is a shared responsibility. When students attend regularly and arrive on time, they benefit from:

• Consistent learning
• Strong routines and habits
• Greater confidence and achievement

Parents and carers play a crucial role in encouraging positive attitudes towards attendance by ensuring their children attend school every day and arrive punctually.

Together, we can make sure every student has the best possible start, every single day.

Attendance and Attainment

Research clearly shows a strong link between regular school attendance and academic success. Simply put, the more time children spend in school, the more they learn.

Pupils who attend school 95% of the time or more are far more likely to achieve strong results and reach key grades.

If Your Child Is Unwell

We understand that there will be times when children are genuinely unwell and unable to attend school. In these cases, please follow the steps below:

What parents and carers need to do:

• Contact the academy on the first morning of your child’s absence to let us know the reason for their absence and when you expect them to return.
• If your child is absent for more than one day, please continue to contact the academy each day with an update.
• Medical evidence (such as appointment cards, prescriptions, or doctor’s notes) should be provided where possible.

Why This Matters

Regular attendance is vital to your child’s learning and progress. Every day in school provides valuable learning opportunities that cannot always be replaced.

Parents and carers are asked to support their child’s education by ensuring they attend school every day during term time, unless they are genuinely unwell.

The table below shows how different levels of attendance can result in missed days and lessons over the school year, highlighting just how quickly learning time can be lost.

Celebrating Excellent Attendance

“At Oulton Academy, we celebrate and recognise excellent attendance all year round! Pupils who show commitment and dedication to coming to school regularly are rewarded with a variety of incentives and opportunities.”

Attendance initiatives run weekly, half termly and cover both individual and form time initiatives. From Pizza Parties and Krispy Kreme doughnuts to Attendance postcards and Love2Shop vouchers – students feel acknowledged and are rewarded appropriately.

Pupil who attend regularly gain:

• Consistent learning – staying on track in lessons
• Better academic results – improved performance in exams
• Ongoing support – guidance with coursework and learning from specialist staff
• Positive mental health – support from experienced staff
• Social development – maintaining friendships and working well with peers
• Life skills – building habits that help in adult life
• Stronger references – demonstrating reliability for future education or employment

Attendance and Safeguarding

At Oulton Academy, attendance is the first step in keeping children safe. We take our safeguarding responsibilities very seriously, which is why we need to know when your child is in school.

• Daily contact: If your child is absent and we haven’t received a reason, we will call the contact numbers you have provided. This is done every day, even if your child has been absent due to illness previously. We cannot assume a child is still unwell without confirmation.
• 48-hour visual check: For safeguarding reasons, if a child has been absent for more than 48 hours, they must be seen by a professional. If we cannot see the child, we will contact an appropriate agency, such as the Police or Children’s Social Care.
• Supporting attendance: If a child’s attendance becomes a concern, we will contact parents or carers to discuss ways we can work together to improve attendance and ensure the child is supported both at home and at school.

Supporting Attendance – Your role

How Students Can Help

• Attend the Academy every day.
• Come punctually and ready to learn.
• Students should arrive at the Academy by 8:20am at the latest.
• Attend school even with minor ailments, such as coughs or colds, unless a doctor advises otherwise.

How Parents/Carers Can Help

• Ensure your child attends daily and on time.
• Make sure your child comes in full uniform and equipped for learning.
• Inform the Academy of any absence by 8:25am.
• Understand that safe and well checks, including home visits, may be conducted if a child is absent without notification.

• Your cooperation helps us keep your child safe and learning every day.