1. Attendance Works 2013 Our ethos on attendance at Hillcrest School

2. New Parents’ Evenings 2013 Parents have a legal responsibility to send their children to school if they are registered pupils at the school. If they do not, there can be legal consequences.

3. To authorise or not to authorise The responsibility for deciding whether an absence is authorised or not authorised is Mrs Garratt. Parents should be aware that merely providing an explanation for their child’s absence does not automatically constitute an ‘authorisation’ for this absence. This is Mrs Garratt's decision alone.

4. Not to authorise Hillcrest School and Community College, working with representatives of the Local Authority, have decided that from September 4th 2013, we will no longer authorise holidays in term time. If you feel that there are exceptional reasons why you need to take a holiday in term time, please discuss these with Ms R Aston, Assistant Principal before making your holiday plans.

5. Pupil Sickness No school can predict or prevent pupils from becoming unwell. We ask that parents contact school on the morning that their child is unwell. Parents we encourage you to bring your children into school ‘if in doubt’ as the school can contact them if their child worsens during the day. Parents must provide the school with current contact addresses and telephone numbers to facilitate this.

6. Term Time Holidays The Impact of term time holidays have on pupils’ academic attainment is very detrimental. We ask parents to complete a holiday request form in advance of the planned absence – Please note - these absences are very unlikely to be authorised and will be referred to EIS. A fine of £60 per child per parent can be imposed and be subject to further legal proceedings if not paid.

7. The ‘Odd Day Off’ Attitude Some parents feel that the ‘odd day off’ as a treat for a birthday or day out really doesn’t matter. Parental attitudes like this can be extremely damaging to their child's education.

8. Lateness Pupils arriving late and missing part or all of lessons will be severely disadvantaged as they will not receive important information about school matters nor receive documents to take home. Pupils arriving late to lessons impact on other pupils learning, the teacher has to stop the lesson and bring the late pupil up to date with what has been taught. Perpetual lateness at work would result in you receiving a warning or being sacked!

9. Imagine…. Parents – can you imagine your own embarrassment when you arrive late to an event, have to slip in at the back without bringing attention to yourself, try to get up to speed with what is being said, try to piece together what has been said already, and then imagine your child having to do that when they arrive late at school.

10. Medical and Dental Appointments We ask parents to make these appointments outside school hours or in the school holidays wherever possible.