Our Commitment

"Every day in school is an investment into your future!"

At CSS our purpose is to rebuild relationships, remove barriers and prepare our students for successful next steps. We believe that attendance at school is vital for all of our students making progress.

One of our core objectives is to improve attitudes, behaviour, wellbeing, attendance and essential life skills.

With this in mind, we expect our students to attend school in line with their bespoke timetable and arrive on time every day – attendance is crucial to success at CSS.

Attendance Targets

Our aim is for every child to attend 100% of their timetabled provision.

This year, CSS has improved our attendance by 22% compared to last academic year, and our attendance figure is 20% higher than the national average for local authority-maintained alternative provision schools.

How to Report an Absence

In the rare event your child is unable to attend school, please follow the reporting procedures below.  Kindly remember:

• Report before 9am
• Clearly state the reason for absence (if your child is unwell please refer to the NHS Guidance – it might well be that they can still join us for their day.

Wickford Primary and Secondary Absence Reporting: 

Please call Kris Jackson on 07872 107 972 or the Wickford Centre on 01268 552 482 by 9am

Fairview Secondary Absence Reporting: 

Please call Kris Jackson on 07872 107 972 or the Fairview Centre on 01268 542 367 by 9am

Medical Education Absence Reporting: 

Please call Katie Price 07872 107 943 by 8.45am

Our Attendance Team – Here to Help

Our dedicated Attendance Officer: Kris Jackson

• Phone: 07872 107 972
• Email: kristina.jackson@css-essex.co.uk

Our dedicated Business Support Administrator for the Medical Team: Katie Price

• Phone: 07872 107 943
• Email: katie.price@css-essex.co.uk

Our Senior Leader responsible for attendance: Emily Valentine

• Phone: 07483 527 955
• Email: Emily.valentine@css-essex.co.uk

How We Support Attendance

As an alternative provision, we recognise the barriers that some students face in attending our provision – indeed, that may well be why they are part of our school community.

We work with our families and students to improve attendance in a number of ways, including by:

• Building strong trusting relationships with you as a family so we can work together to overcome barriers.
• Providing soft landings for our students so they are able to regulate before attending lessons or starting their day.
• Weekly tutor/class teacher telephone calls home as a minimum to maintain open communication.
• A dedicated team of engagement mentors who can visit you and your child at home to assist in removing barriers.
• Providing travel training to support your child in overcoming worries about getting to school.
• In our primary setting, the opportunity to speak to your child's class teacher every day, including at drop-off and pick-up.
• On-site counsellors who can provide immediate support to your child.
• Engaging with external agencies so we work together for you and your child.

Our Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy

Understanding Absence Types

At CSS, we understand that there are times when your child may need to be absent from school. It's important to understand the difference between authorised and unauthorised absence.

Authorised Absence

An authorised absence is when the school has either given approval in advance for a pupil to be absent, or has accepted an explanation offered afterwards as a valid reason for absence.

Examples of authorised absence include:

• Illness – when your child is genuinely too unwell to attend (please refer to NHS guidance to help you decide)
• Medical or dental appointments – where these cannot be arranged outside of school hours (please provide evidence such as appointment cards or letters)
• Religious observance – when the day is exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which your family belongs
• Exceptional family circumstances – such as bereavement or a significant family emergency
• Approved educational activities – such as attending an interview at another educational establishment
• Days when the school is closed – such as staff training days or adverse weather closures

Unauthorised Absence

An unauthorised absence is when the school has not given approval for a pupil to be absent, or where no explanation has been provided for the absence.

Examples of unauthorised absence include:

• Holidays taken during term time that have not been approved by the school
• Shopping trips or days out during school time
• Birthdays or other celebrations during school time
• Looking after siblings or other family members
• Oversleeping or general tiredness
• Absence without explanation – when you haven't contacted us to let us know why your child is absent
• Arriving at school after the register has closed without a valid reason

Our Approach to Term-Time Leave Requests

We understand that as an alternative provision, our families may face unique circumstances. However, we believe that every day in school is important for your child's progress and wellbeing.

Term-time holidays:

• We strongly discourage holidays during term time.
• We can only authorise term-time leave in exceptional circumstances.
• Each request will be considered individually based on your child's circumstances, their attendance record, and the reason for the request.

How to request leave:

• All requests for leave of absence must be made in advance using our Leave of Absence Request Form.
• Please contact Emily Valentine (Senior Leader for Attendance) on 07483 527 955 or Emily.valentine@css-essex.co.uk to discuss your request.
• We will respond to your request in writing, explaining whether it has been authorised or not.

What happens if leave is not authorised:

• If you take your child out of school without authorisation, this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.
• Unauthorised absence may be referred to the Local Authority.
• We will always work with you to understand your circumstances and find the best solution for your child.

Important note: Given the nature of our provision and our students' individual circumstances, we take a personalised approach to attendance. We will always work with you to understand any barriers to attendance and find solutions together. Please speak to us before making any decisions about absence – we're here to help.

Remember: If you're unsure whether an absence will be authorised, please contact our Attendance Officer, Kris Jackson, or our Senior Leader for Attendance, Emily Valentine, before the absence occurs. We're always happy to discuss individual circumstances with you.

 

Safeguarding and Attendance We are committed to safeguarding our students. If you do not report your child as absent or if your child is not seen in person in a five-day period, kindly note we will follow our safeguarding procedures.