Attendance & Absence information

Attendance Matters

At Wolgarston High School, we believe that every school day counts. Excellent attendance is not just a legal requirement – it’s a vital part of helping our students achieve their full potential.

We know that good attendance builds good habits. It helps students stay on top of their learning, develop strong relationships, and make the most of the opportunities available to them – in school and beyond.

Our Expectation

All students should aim for 100% attendance. Our minimum expectation is at least 95%. Anything below this puts a student at risk of falling behind – not just academically, but socially and emotionally too.

A Legal Responsibility

Parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure that their child attends school regularly. This is outlined in the Education Act 1996 and supported by government guidance from the Department for Education. As a school, we are committed to working closely with families to support good attendance – but we will also take action when necessary.

What We Ask From You

• Only keep your child off school if they are genuinely too unwell to attend.
• Avoid term-time holidays – these will not be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances.
• Communicate with us early if you’re struggling with your child’s attendance – we’re here to help.
• Reach out to other external agencies that can support your child's needs.
• Be honest with us. This will ensure we offer the correct support for you and can streamline our staff time too.

How We Support Good Attendance

We monitor attendance carefully and celebrate high attendance through rewards and recognition. If a student’s attendance starts to drop, we act early with a tiered approach of support and intervention. We currently use VIP education to support our attendance team. They help with monitoring attendance, tracking changes, supervising attendance clinics and safe and well checks at the family home. 

Working Together

We want every student at Wolgarston high School to thrive – and that starts with showing up, every day. Thank you for supporting your child to attend, achieve, and succeed.