Attendance & Punctuality

We expect all students to attend our Academy consistently, although we understand that circumstances may occasionally lead to absences. Punctuality is equally important for maximising learning opportunities, and we expect all of our students to be on time.

Attendance Target

We encourage our students to achieve 96-100% attendance.

Timings

KS3: 8:00am - 3:00pm (Students should arrive by 7:45am for the morning address by Head Teacher Mr. Lee)

KS4: 8:30am - 3:30pm (Students should arrive by 8:20am for the morning address by their respective PLD) 

Student Absence

Valid reasons for absence include genuine illness or appointments. We do not authorise absences for non-essential reasons (e.g. childcare, parcel delivery, shopping). Please report absences daily to our Attendance Officer on Tel: 0121 516 7070. 

Contact Information

Senior Attendance Champion: Mr. D. Snell (d.snell@lan.merciantrust.org.uk)

Day-to-Day Attendance Queries: Mrs. A. Evans (a.evans@lan.merciantrust.org.uk)

Individual Support (by Year)

Year 7: Mrs J. Stephens (j.stephens@lan.merciantrust.org.uk)

Year 8: Mr. T. Giles (t.giles@lan.merciantrust.org.uk)

Year 9: Mr. C. Caine (c.caine@lan.merciantrust.org.uk)

Year 10: Mr. M. Sohail (m.sohail@lan.merciantrust.org.uk)

Year 11: Mr. M. Fullwood (m.fullwood@lan.merciantrust.org.uk)

Appointments During Academy Hours

Medical/dental appointments should be scheduled outside of Academy hours whenever possible. Students should attend before or after appointments.

Unexplained Absence

If we don’t receive an explanation for your child’s absence, their registration mark won’t be authorised until we receive one.

Holidays (Leave of Absence)

All term-time holidays require approval from the Head Teacher. Parents/carers do not have an automatic right to take children out of the Academy during term time and may be fined for doing so without the Academy's consent. For more information, please see our Leave of Absence page.

Support for Attendance

If your child’s attendance falls below 90%, they are classed as persistently absent, and we may take the following actions:

• Fixed Penalty Fine

• Attendance contract for parents

• Legal action by the Authority

Our attendance staff are committed to supporting you and your child. Contact us with any concerns or queries. Support strategies include Early Help Assessment, Fresh Start Programme, Mentoring, and the School Nurse.

​Some of the support strategies we offer in school include – Early Help Assessment, Fresh Start Programme, Mentoring and the School Nurse.