School Attendance

Attendance

Every Day Counts

 

Why Attendance Matters

Good attendance means:

• Better academic performance

• Stronger social relationships

• Improved mental health and wellbeing

• Greater opportunities in education, training, and employment

The national expectation for school attendance is at least 96%. Our target at Hodge Hill Girls’ School is for every pupil to meet or exceed this figure.

 

Reporting Absences

If your child is absent, please inform the school by 8:15am on the first day of absence, and each day thereafter.

Contact Information:

• Telephone: 0121 464 3094 - Option 1 for the Attendance Office

• Email: enquiry@hodgehgs.bham.sch.uk

• School Gateway: Text messaging service

• Please include your child’s full name, year group, and the reason for absence.

 

Authorised vs Unauthorised Absences

We understand that children may occasionally need to miss school. Acceptable reasons include:

• Illness

• Medical or dental appointments (preferably outside school hours)

• Religious observance

• Exceptional family circumstances (must be approved in advance)

Unauthorised absences (e.g. holidays during term time, lateness without valid reason) will be followed up and may lead to further action, including penalty notices.

 

Punctuality Matters

At Hodge Hill Girls’ School, we believe that being on time is a sign of respect and responsibility, two qualities we actively nurture in every pupil. While excellent attendance is vital, punctuality is equally important. Every pupil has a responsibility to arrive at school on time and to remain in school for the full day, helping to create a positive, and focused learning environment for all.

All pupils are expected to be in their form rooms promptly each morning, ready to begin the day with the right mindset. Specific timings for the start of the school day are outlined in our Attendance and Punctuality Policy, available on the school website.

If a pupil arrives after the register has closed, they will receive a late mark, and parents or carers will be informed via text message. Persistent lateness will be addressed through our pastoral and behaviour systems, with appropriate support and, where necessary, sanctions used to encourage improvement. 

Punctuality may seem like a small detail, but it makes a big difference. Arriving on time ensures that pupils:

• Don’t miss important instructions, messages, or learning opportunities

• Start their day calmly and confidently

• Contribute positively to the smooth running of lessons and the wider school community

When pupils are late, it doesn’t just affect them, it disrupts learning for others and places additional pressure on staff. As a school that values partnerships, one of our PRIDE values, we encourage all pupils to view punctuality as a shared responsibility. It’s a simple yet powerful way to show commitment to their learning and respect for their peers.

Even being five minutes late each day can add up to over three days of lost learning a year. Over time, this has an impact on both academic progress and emotional wellbeing. A rushed or unsettled start can lower confidence and increase anxiety, sometimes even leading to behavioural difficulties as pupils struggle to catch up.

That’s why we place such importance on being on time, because it supports not just individual success, but the success of the whole school community.

 

 

Medical Appointments

Where possible, appointments should be made during school holidays or at the end of the school day. On occasions when this is not possible, pupils should come into school as normal, be collected and taken to their appointment and returned to school immediately afterwards.

Proof of appointment will be required when collecting your daughter from school.

Please contact the school before 9.00am on 0121 464 3094 to inform us if your daughter has an appointment on the day.

 

 

Signing out 

If a pupil needs to leave school during the day, a signed letter from a parent/carer or appointment card must be shown to their Head of Year, school Reception staff or sent electronically to our email address, enquiry@hodgehgs.bham.sch.uk, prior to the appointment.

Reception staff will provide a ‘Permission to Leave Premises’ slip which may be requested by the Police or other authorised agencies. For safety reasons, pupils must ALWAYS sign out when leaving school and sign in upon return.

 

 

Holiday and Leave Request During Term Time

We do not authorise holidays during term time. Requests for leave must be made in writing to the Headteacher, using the Leave of Absence Request Form, available from the school office.

Holidays taken without permission will be marked as unauthorised and may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice issued by Birmingham City Council.

Whilst the school and Governing Body recognise that extended visits to the country of family origin provide a wealth of benefit to children, such visits must be arranged during the official school holidays. Similarly, it is not always appropriate for children to be absent from school (which offers a safe and familiar environment) for family emergencies that are being dealt with by adult family members. Term time holidays and leave of absence are NOT allowed by the Government.

The Headteacher and Governing Body may only grant absence in rare and exceptional events, such as the critical illness or death of the pupil’s parent/carer or sibling. If ever there is an exceptional reason why a pupil needs a leave of absence, a ‘Leave in Term Time Request Form’ must be completed by the parent or carer. The decision to authorise absence rests with the school and once the decision is made, it is final.

Where there is an unauthorised absence, penalty notices may be issued by the Local Authority according to the law. Where a penalty notice remains unpaid, legal action will be pursued by the Local Authority.

Taking a pupil out of school without permission, or even when leave has been granted, failure of the pupil to return to school by the agreed date may ultimately result in the pupil losing her place at the school. Please note, pupils missing 5 or more days of continuous absence without explanation or where they have left school and the destination is unknown, will be reported to the Local Authority.

 

 

Support with Attendance

If your child is facing challenges that affect their attendance, we are here to help. Our Pastoral Team and Attendance Officer work closely with families to remove barriers to regular school attendance.

For support, please contact the school to arrange a meeting or speak to your child's Head of Year.

 

 

Working Together

We believe that strong partnerships between home and school are key to pupil success. Together, we can ensure your child makes the most of every learning opportunity at Hodge Hill Girls’ School.

Let’s make every day count!