Attendance

What to do if my child is absent?

If your child is unable to attend due to illness (both physical and mental health related) parents should notify us on the first day the child is unable to attend. 

Parents are expected to contact the school before 8.30am on the first day of absence and each subsequent absence using our attendance form available here.  

Use of this form is strongly encouraged but in exceptional circumstances if this is not accessible please report your child’s absence on 01865 877623.

Attendance Form

Parents and carers can see details of their child’s attendance by logging into MyChildAtSchool. If an attendance mark is believed to be coded incorrectly they are encouraged to contact our attendance officer by using the online attendance form linked above.

Request for leave of absence

The Headteacher can grant a leave of absence when a pupil needs to be absent from school with permission. Wheatley Park restricts leave of absence in line with DfE policy to the specific circumstances set out in regulation 11 of the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024. These circumstances are:

● Taking part in a regulated performance or employment abroad: in line with a licence issued by a local authority or Justice of the Peace or a body of persons approval (BOPA).

● Attending an interview: for entry into another educational institution or for future employment where requested in advance by a parent the pupil normally lives with.

● A temporary, time-limited part-time timetable: where the pupil is of compulsory school age, both the parent who the pupil normally lives with and school agree the pupil should temporarily be educated on a part-time basis for exceptional reasons and have agreed the times and dates when the pupil will be expected to attend school as part of that timetable.

● Exceptional circumstances: All schools can grant a leave of absence for other exceptional circumstances at their discretion. it must be requested in advance by a parent who the pupil normally lives with. The Headteacher will consider each application individually taking into account the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind the request.

Wheatley Park does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance. Leave of absence will also not be granted for a pupil to take part in protest activity during school hours.
 

To request a leave of absence parents must complete this form.

Request leave of absence due to exceptional circumstances form