Attendance

At Reigate School we have high expectations for attendance and punctuality. We believe that regular attendance to school supports children in achieving not only their educational potential but also helps them to develop in the areas of our core values of kindness, resilience, respect, curiosity and friendships.

There is a clear link between successful outcomes and attendance and as such, we expect children to achieve at least 96% attendance. Poor attendance leads to a significant loss of learning and ultimately, is detrimental to a child’s attainment and overall wellbeing.

Absences from school

We recognise that at times there are genuine reasons why a child may not be able to attend school. When a child is experiencing illness, it may be useful to utilise NHS guidance (Is my child too ill for school? - NHS ) when making a decision about whether or not a child can still attend school.

If a child is unable to attend school due to illness, we require parents/carers to contact us by 0840 on the day of absence, if the child will be absent for all or part of the day. The school has a 24h absence line and thus messages can be left at any time.

Absence line: 01737 245241

Your message should include:

Child’s name
Tutor group,
Reason for absence and if possible, expected day of return
Your name

FAQs - Attendance and Punctualities

If my child is late for school what should they do?

Children should be in school at 0840 to ensure that they are punctual to tutor time. If they arrive after this time they need to go to sign in at the front office.

What happens if my child is late to school?

A text will be sent each day your child is late. They will be given the opportunity to discuss reasons for lateness at lunch time (the same day).

Persistently late students will be kept for detention after school on a Monday and you will receive a phone call or letter if this is to happen.

Please do notify the school if you have any concerns regarding your child’s punctuality or attendance to school. We want to work proactively with children and their families to ensure every child accesses their education.

Can I take my child out of school for a holiday?

Please be aware that The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013, which came into effect on 1st September 2013, states that Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances are those considered to be the rarest of incidences.

Any absence must be requested as far in advance as possible, and no less than 4 weeks prior to the requested date. A form (Application for Leave of Absence during Term Time) will need to be collected from the office or downloaded from the school’s website and completed.

What do the attendance percentages mean for my child’s learning?

Small amounts of absence make a big difference

Missing just 10 days in Year 11 can reduce the likelihood of achieving Grade 5 in English and Maths by around 50%. The Link Between Attendance and Attainment
Moving from 95–100% attendance down to 90–95% significantly reduces the chance of gaining top grades. The Link Between Attendance and Attainment

Persistent absence (below 90%) is highly damaging

Pupils who are persistently absent (missing 10%+ of school) see steep drops in GCSE performance.
FFT data shows pupils with <2% absence achieve an Attainment 8 score of 56.7, but this falls to 14.7 for pupils missing 50%+ of school. Education Data Lab

Severe absence (missing half of school) has the greatest impact

Only 1 in 20 pupils who miss more than 50% of school achieve five good GCSEs including English and maths. schoolsweek.co.uk

What happens if my child’s attendance is below 96%?

If your child’s attendance falls below 96%, you may be contacted by your child’s tutor initially and you will be offered an opportunity to have a supportive conversation regarding any concerns relating to absences from school.

If attendance to school continues to fall below expected, our Attendance Officer and/or our Senior Leadership Lead for Attendance will request a meeting with you to discuss further.

How can I help my child with their attendance?

1. Build strong routines

Set regular wake‑up, bed‑time, and morning routines.

2. Prioritise medical, dental and other appointments outside school hours

If unavoidable, try to schedule them at the start or end of the day.

3. Keep in touch with school

Let us know early if you or your child are struggling with attendance—
we will listen and support.

4. Talk positively about school

Reinforce the message that every day matters.

We are here to help you and your child. Please do not hesitate to contact us for support.

Attendance Policy 2025
pdf