Attendance
Registration
Morning registers are taken promptly at the start of period 1 at 8:55. The register is updated with late comers.
Registers are taken at the start of each lesson. Teachers are expected to complete these within the first ten minutes of each lesson. Reception will be notified of anyone not present in the lesson in order to address truancy issues.
Punctuality
There is an expectation that all students at Hope Valley College attend school and lessons punctually at all times.
Students who arrive after 9am will report to their tutor who will mark them as late (L).
Students who arrive after 9.25 should report to reception where they will have to sign in. Students arriving after this time will not get an AM mark and are considered to have had an unauthorised absence except in exceptional situations in which their lateness is as a result of a bus being held up. After signing in at reception students should then proceed to lessons.
Absence
We expect all students to be absent only when entirely necessary because of illness or other authorised circumstances. Attendance at school is crucial to the success of our students. We will continue with our high expectations that students will aspire to the highest possible attendance. We recognise that their may be times when students are not able to attend school. We will always respect a student's right to religious observation and will authorise any relative absences accordingly.
The school operates a first day response system to absence.
How to report an absence
It is vital that you tell us directly if your child is going to be absent. Otherwise we will treat their absence as a safeguarding matter.
Step 1: let us know
You can let us know by:
- Either calling us on 01433 620555 and choosing the absence option.
- Or emailing us at: attendance@hopevalley.chorustrust.org
Please include the following information:
- Name.
- Year and Class.
- Bus.
- The names of any siblings in school.
Step 2: fill in the absence form
You must also now complete our online form for ALL absences. This provides useful information should we have to follow the 'track and trace' procedure.
Please complete this form, even if you think the absence is not Covid-related:
- Online absence form (for all absences)
Please ensure you follow both steps 1 and 2.
Expectations
We expect all parents to:
- Assess whether their child is genuinely ill and required to be absent from school or whether they could be sent in. Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can go back to school when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend. For children and young people aged 18 and under with a positive Covid test, the advice will be they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days. If your child is unwell and you are unsure how to help, please contact the NHS by calling 111 or going to their website at: https://111.nhs.uk/.
- Contact school before 8:55 am on the first day of absence to inform us why their child is not attending school.
- Contact school on every subsequent day that their child is ill.
- Seek medical advice/help for the child if they are seriously ill.
- Bring the child into school later in the day if they feel better.
We expect all students to:
- Assess whether they are definitely required to be absent from school or whether they could actually come in.
- Catch up on any work that they miss
As a school we will:
- Send a text message before 10am to all parents of students who have not yet contacted the school.
- Ring all parents of absent students who have subsequently not contacted school.
If no direct contact has been made with a parent during the day of absence the absence will automatically be recorded as unauthorised.
Our approach to attendance
We have a responsibility to proactively manage and improve attendance for all of our young people and this is an integral part of our safeguarding procedures. Our approach to attendance is outlined in our attendance procedure, which should be read in conjunction with our attendance policy, which is available on the Chorus Trust Policies page.