Rockford Manor Presentation Secondary School Stradbrook Road, - - PDF document

1 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

Rockford Manor Presentation Secondary School Stradbrook Road, Blackrock,

• Co. Dublin

Statement of Strategy for School Attendance 2019

2 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

School Roll Number

60081P Mission Statement: ‘The provision of a Christian environment where learning and teaching nurture the personal development

• f every student’. Therefore this strategy must be interpreted in conjunction with all school policy

documents. The school’s vision and values in relation to attendance Rockford Manor Secondary School belongs to a worldwide community of the Presentation Congregation. The school is an all-girls secondary school, based on the vision of Nano Nagle of providing a holistic Christian education based on Gospel values. The Presentation Ethos requires each school to foster and build a community where each individual student feels a sense of worth and belonging. At Rockford Manor, we are committed to encouraging our students to develop a pattern of regular and punctual attendance in order to benefit fully from the education provided in our school. Good attendance is habit forming and makes school a meaningful experience for every student. It not only improves performance in academic subjects but aids all other areas of school life; the nourishing of interests, sports and life-long learning, and promotes feelings of inclusiveness, self-esteem, resilience and

• confidence. It is seen as one of the most significant factors in a student’s success in school and beyond.

Good attendance helps pupils obtain secure employment and allows others to perceive them as mature, reliable and responsible citizens. Good attendance complements our ethos which stresses the significance

• f “providing an education of the highest quality in an intimate and caring environment where

there is an emphasis on individuality, personal contact and affirmation”. The school’s high expectations around attendance Rationale:  To work to protect, in conjunction with all other aspects of school life, the care and welfare of our students.  To facilitate continuity and progression in the learning processes.  To ensure all parents/guardians, students and teachers are aware of their responsibilities to ensure high levels of attendance and punctuality.  To ensure the school fulfils its legal obligations in accordance with the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and other relevant Acts. Under the Act, Education Welfare Boards have been established to oversee school attendance nationwide and each school has been assigned an Education Welfare Service whose duty it is to liaise with the school in relation to any attendance problems which may emerge. The Principal must inform the Education Welfare Service (TUSLA) where any of the following occur:

3 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

• 1. The aggregate number of school days on which a student is absent from school during the

school year is 20 days or more.

• 2. A student, in the opinion of the Principal of the school in which she/he is registered, is not

attending school regularly.

• 3. A student is suspended from school for a period of six days or more.

Goals  To develop a positive approach to attendance and punctuality.  To encourage students to take responsibility for their own attendance and punctuality.  To maintain accurate records of students’ whereabouts throughout the school day.  To achieve early detection and correction of poor attendance patterns.  To impress upon parents/ guardians, the vital role they play in their daughter’s school attendance.  To employ measures to encourage good attendance and punctuality and reduce the rate of absenteeism.  To encourage full participation in class.

4 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

Summary of the main elements of the school’s approach to attendance:

If absent a text is sent to parent/guardian On return to school parent/guardian, provides a written explanation for absence Explanation is updated on VSware If a student is absent for 20 days, has irregular attendance

• r is suspended a report is sent

to TUSLA

• 1. Roll is called

in each class Staff will contact parent / guardian Parent / Guardian collects sick student from the school, (if not the student returns to class) VSware is updated On return to school parent / guardian provides a written explanation for absence

• 1. Student

asks permission from class teacher to go to main

• ffice

If absent from school… If a student takes ill in school…

5 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

Summary of the main elements of the school’s approach to attendance:

Provide a written explanation from parent / guardian on the day VSware is updated from absent to late student joins class group, teacher ensures student is registered as late

Docket issued for unexplained late

• 1. Student

must sign the late book in the Main Office

Stating clearly if parent is collecting student or if parent will meet student at venue Student signs out in main

• ffice

VSware is updated On return later that day sign back in and VSware will be updated 1.Notify school in writing / via App of: date, time & reason

If late for school or class… If a student, needs to be excused early from school…

6 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

How attendance will be monitored

 VSware is used to record and monitor attendance and punctuality in every class throughout the day.  A text indicating absence is sent to parents of students absent for the first class, by the School Secretary.  Students who arrive late to school are required to sign in at the main office, stating time of arrival and provide a note explaining their reason for lateness. Students proceed immediately to their timetabled class. The student will be entered as late on VSware. If they have previously been marked as absent this will be changed to LATE.  Students who leave school during the school day due to appointments can only do so with the written permission of a parent/guardian. An early exit is note available in the school journal. The student must then sign out and deposit their permission note in the box provided, the VSware will be amended accordingly. Parents/guardians must collect their daughter directly from the school if she needs to leave before the end of the school day (unless the parent / guardian state that the student can leave unaccompanied). If the student returns to school later in the school day they must sign back in at the main office.  If a student falls ill during the school day parents /guardians will be contacted by the main office and asked to come and collect their daughter if she is no longer able to participate in school.  Where students are absent from school for school-related extra-curricular activities, this is entered in the system by the School Secretary as a school activity. The teacher who oversees the activity prepares a list of the names and prior to departure provides a copy of the list to the main office. If a student is absent from the trip, the teacher will notify the School Secretary of the same.

 When attending events outside of school: attendance should be taken prior to departure (if a

private coach is used) or at a meeting point at the venue if the students are making their own way to the event. A second roll call/check out roll call will be taken by the teachers in charge at the event or prior to departure of the school group from the event. Failure to present individually for roll call will be treated as an absence without permission due to the seriousness of the situation and may also result in a student not attending such events with the school in the future.

Positive approach to attendance

 Good attendance is promoted in Rockford Manor by a culture of high expectations, encouraging each student to take responsibility for her own learning and achieve her full potential through regular presence in class.  Students are made aware of the incremental nature of learning and the implications for them of irregular attendance during assemblies, general classes and in SPHE.  The Dean of Year and members of the Care Team meet with students for whom attendance or punctuality has been identified as an issue.  Reports to parents/guardians include a detailed breakdown of attendance and punctuality for the period in question.  Records of attendance and punctuality are available to view on VSware by logging in using the unique password for that student.

7 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

 The school’s reward system acknowledges excellent attendance and punctuality and recognises students who show significant improvement in attendance and punctuality.  A sense of belonging and connectedness in school is developed through participation in school life and/or extra-curricular activities.  Posters are displayed in prominent positions highlighting that “Every Day Counts. Every Class Counts”.

The Whole School Approach

 The importance of good attendance and punctuality is stressed to students by the entire school staff at assemblies, in class, at school events, sport outings and tours etc.  Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own attendance by signing the Rockford Manor School Agreement.  Parents are made aware of their role in relation to their daughter’s attendance and punctuality through the school VSware system, report system, parents’ information evenings, parent-teacher meetings and in the school journal.

 Parents/guardians of students whose attendance is erratic will be informed of the number of days

missed by their daughter. Parents/guardians may be invited to the school at any stage if poor unexplained attendance becomes an issue.

Tracking and responding to poor attendance

In order to track and improve poor attendance the following strategies are implemented:  Tracking and meeting of students through the Care Team (Student Support Team). Data is collected from school records on VSware. Dean of Year Group will talk with the student regarding their attendance record and discuss how the student may catch up on work missed. Parents/ Guardians will be contacted (usually by Dean) when a student has both explained and unexplained absences in order to begin dialogue about attendance. This can include: Dean of year group contacting parents / guardians after 5 days, Deputy Principal contacting after 10 days, Principal and Deputy Principal after 20 days.  Reporting to parents/ guardians by Deputy Principal or Dean of Year Group when a student is absent without permission.  Positive reinforcement of good or improving attendance. Every effort is made to re-engage and support students who are working to improve their attendance. This can include but is not limited to: speaking with student, with parents and with class teachers regarding concerns or to acknowledge improvements. Informing staff of agreed strategies. Offering continued support form Care Team and / or outside agencies. Updating school records.  Providing teachers with information as to which students are particularly at risk of developing

• r have attendance problems through appropriate updates from the Care Team and

information meetings when required. When aware of ongoing issues teachers can adapt lesson content to meet student needs, notice and positively reinforce the benefits of improved attendance.

8 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

 When the school has exhausted all efforts and there is no improvement in attendance, a referral will be made to Tusla’s Education Welfare Services.  Contacting the Education Welfare Service following a cumulative absence of 20 days or more.

School roles in relation to attendance

Principal:

 To ensure that adequate systems are in place to record attendance and absences of students.  To monitor attendance records regularly in conjunction with Deputy Principal and Dean of Year.  To make reports to the Education Welfare Service as required by the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.  To inform the Principal of another second level school of an inter-school transfer.  The Principal must inform the Education Welfare Officer where any of the following occur:  A student is suspended from school for a period of 6 days or over.  The total number of school days on which a student is absent from school during a school year is 20 days or more.  A student’s name is for whatever reason, removed from the register by the Principal.  A student is, in the opinion of the Principal, not attending school regularly.  To inform parents/guardians and students of procedures for the notification of absences or the withdrawal of students from the school.  To remind students and parents/guardians of the importance of regular attendance and the negative impact of frequent absences on student progress.  To submit reports to the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) / Tusla.  To submit reports on attendance to the Board of Management (BoM).  Update school records were necessary.

Deputy Principal:

 The Deputy Principal has responsibility for the analysis of trends, the provision in so far as possible

• f programmes, timetables and any other strategies that encourage regular attendance.

 To work in cooperation with the Principal, Dean of Year Group, Form Tutors, Care Team, Parents, Students and Administration Staff to implement the school policy and to address the difficulties surrounding a particular pupil’s attendance.  To inform new teachers of their obligations with regard to recording attendance.  To regularly remind all staff complete rolls as required.  To meet along with the Dean of Year Group, the students who had unauthorised absence from class.  To follow up on students who are late for school or class.  Update school records were necessary.

9 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

Dean of Year Group

 To monitor regularly the attendance records on the VSware system for the given year group and to raise issues regarding attendance at the weekly Year Head and Care Team meetings.  To liaise with the Care Team to address the difficulties surrounding a particular pupil’s attendance.  To meet, along with the Deputy Principal, those students for whom attendance or punctuality is a problem in order to discuss the issue.  To contact parents/guardians where unauthorised absences occur or are suspected and / or when patterns of absences are developing and to notify the Deputy Principal of same.  To remind the students of the importance of regular attendance and punctuality.  To reward students who have excellent attendance/punctuality or who have made significant effort to improve.  Update school records were necessary.

Form Tutor:

 Work with the Dean of Year Group to encourage good attendance and punctuality. Highlight to the Dean of Year or Care Team or Senior Management any issues that are brought to their attention regarding attendance or punctuality within the class group.

Class Teacher:

 To record (or amend) the attendance of every student in every class each day on VSware. If there is a technical difficulty the class teacher will record the attendance manually on paper and submit to the Main Office.  When supervising under (Supervision & Substitution) S & S scheme, or when providing cover for personal leave or as a result of ‘windfall’, the teacher will record the attendance on VSware or send a list to the Main Office.  To impress on students the importance of regular attendance, insist on punctuality and record those late for class.  To impress on students the importance of catching up on work missed as a result of their absences.  Acknowledge students, welcome them back and support them on their return to school.

Parents/ Guardians:

Parents have a role to play in setting high standards for the students regarding attendance and time

• keeping. Educational achievements and personal development are enhanced by parent engagement and

support for the school. Parents are asked:  To support the school’s Attendance Strategy in compliance with their legal responsibilities to ensure that their child is attending a recognised school on every day that the school is open. (Section 17 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000). Only absences relating to activities organised by the school or in which the school is involved can be authorised by the Principal (Section 21(9) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000). Therefore, the school cannot give ‘permission’ or condone

10 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

absences for holiday, social occasions etc during term time. Parents are also asked to prevent loss

• f school contact time as a result of events like Debs Nights, Pre Debs Nights and other social
• ccasions. The school calendar is made available to parents in the summer of the upcoming school

year so that the loss of class contact time can be avoided.  To ensure regular and punctual attendance of students and avoid unnecessary absences and where possible to arrange elective appointments outside of school time. If such appointments must take place within school hours, then students should return to school following the appointment.  To provide a written explanation for the student’s absence on the first day of return to school.  To inform the Year Head in advance of any planned absences from school.  To provide to the school reliable contact telephone numbers and alternative ‘emergency’ numbers.  To adhere to the procedures set out in this Strategy for the withdrawal of students from school during the school day.  To acknowledge promptly and, where necessary, reply to communications from the school in relation to attendance issues.  To sign the Rockford Manor School Agreement.  To monitor their daughter’s attendance on VSware.  Parents have an opportunity to become more involved in the life of the school through the Parents

• Association. Through their involvement with the school, parents may develop a stronger sense of

belonging to the school community and have a deeper commitment to the school and the education it provides.

Students:

To punctually attend school 8:45am (all scheduled classes and school events) every day unless there is a valid reason for not doing so.  Ensure they are registered for each class period of the school day.  Following an absence from school, to present a written explanation in the designated section of their School Journal on the day of return to the main office.  To provide a written note from parents/guardians in their Journal on arrival late for school. Students are required to sign in at the main office and proceed immediately to their assigned class. The student will be entered as LATE on VSware. If they have previously been marked as ABSENT this will be changed to late.  Students are responsible for their learning and must catch up on all work missed as a result of an absence (including as a result of school activity) or poor punctuality.  To sign the Rockford Manor School Agreement.  Truancy both within the school building and from school will be addressed through the School Code

• f Behaviour and related school Policies.

Administrative Staff:

 To send a text or message via the school App informing parents if their daughter is absent for first period.  To administer the signing in and out of students.

11 Strategy for School Attendance, Rockford Manor, 2019.

 To accept notes and update the records on VSware as required.  To input attendance data from class teachers or supervisors when necessary.  Running regular reports as required.  To update class groups / rolls on VSware.  Contact teachers with queries re attendance.  Contact relevant parents / guardians if a student takes ill in school.  Releasing student reports including attendance and punctuality on VSware.

Board of Management:

The Board of Management is responsible for the ratification, following consultation with teachers, students, parents and Principal, and implementation of an Attendance Strategy which encourages regular attendance and an appreciation of learning among students.

Partnership arrangements

Close contact with feeder schools and other Post-Primary Schools regarding transition to Rockford Manor. The school will engage with the relevant bodies and engage with the relevant services where there is a concern regarding school attendance.

How the statement of strategy will be monitored.

The Board of Management will monitor the policy in consultation with the Principal and teaching staff, the Parents’ Association and the Student Council. Success criteria will include:  Improved attendance rates.  Improved explanation for absence.  Improved timekeeping.  Improved communication with Parents.

Review process and date of review Date the statement of strategy was approved by the Board of Management

___________________________________ _______________________________ Date _____________________________________________________________