Letter to Parents – School Attendance

04 September 2025 

Dear Parents/Carers, 

We would like to begin by thanking you for your continued support in helping your child/children achieve excellent school attendance. One of the most important ways parents can support their child’s education, personal development and wellbeing is by ensuring they attend school every day and arrive on time. 

Regular attendance helps children feel part of the school community. It allows them to learn effectively, build friendships, take part in clubs and trips, and benefit from the routines that are so important for their wellbeing. Being in school, with teachers and friends, is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their full potential. 

That is why school attendance is so important, and why the Government, St Teresa of Calcutta MAC, and Holy Trinity Catholic School are committed to addressing any issues that might prevent children from attending school regularly. 

The Law on School Attendance 

Every child of compulsory school age is entitled to a full-time education, and it is a parent’s legal responsibility to ensure their child receives it. Where a child is on roll at a school, parents have a duty to make sure they attend regularly. 

This means children must attend every day that school is open, unless: 

• they are too unwell to attend, or 
• the school has given prior permission for absence in exceptional circumstances. 

Attendance directly impacts learning outcomes. Pupils with the highest attainment at the end of Year 6 and Year 11 typically have higher rates of attendance. Every day in school matters. Missing just one day is the equivalent of five lessons lost – and over time, this really adds up: 

Attendance Challenges 

We understand that sometimes children may find it difficult to attend school. Common challenges include: 

• Minor illness: Children can still attend school with coughs, colds, headaches, or tiredness. If you are unsure, please send your child in and let us know. We will always contact you if they become too unwell to remain in school. 
• Anxiety or reluctance to attend: If your child is worried about school, please contact us straight away. Early communication means we can work with you to support your child and put strategies in place. 
• Medical appointments: Wherever possible, appointments should be made outside school hours. If this is unavoidable, your child should attend before and/or after the appointment to minimise learning time missed. 
• Family circumstances: If difficulties at home are affecting your child’s attendance, please talk to us in confidence. We may be able to offer support or signpost other services. 

Working together and sharing concerns early helps us find solutions before patterns of absence become established. 

When and How to Contact School 

If your child is absent, you must: 

• Notify the school on the first morning of absence by 9am via telephone – 0121 772 0184, option one for attendance team. Please leave a voicemail if there is no one available to take your call.  
• Provide a reason for the absence. If we do not hear from you, we are required to contact you to establish the reason for your child’s absence. 
• Update the school each day your child is away, unless you have agreed otherwise with the attendance team. 

If your child is absent without explanation and we cannot contact you, we may carry out a home visit as part of our safeguarding duty. 

Term-Time Holidays 

Holidays during term time will not be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances. Requests must be made in advance, and decisions are made by the school. If leave is taken without authorisation, the school is required to refer this to Birmingham Local Authority, who may issue a penalty notice. 

St Teresa of Calcutta MAC Attendance Policy 

From 1st September 2024, Holy Trinity Catholic School and all schools in St Teresa of Calcutta MAC follow the same Attendance Policy, available on our website.   

Our approach is based on six principles: 

• We Expect high standards of attendance from all pupils and families. 
• We Monitor data to spot issues early. 
• We Listen & Understand barriers to attendance. 
• We Facilitate Support to remove barriers and signpost help. 
• We Formalise Support where absence persists despite help. 
• We Enforce statutory intervention only when all other avenues are exhausted. 

School-Specific Attendance Information 

• Arrival time: 8:25 at the latest to ensure prompt arrival to form which starts at 8:30am.  
• Entry to school from: 8am 
• Contact school by: 9am if your child is absent 
• Registers close at: 9am – your child will not receive a morning registration mark arriving after form has finished.  
• End of school day: 3pm 

Attendance Team Contact Details 

• Senior Attendance Champion: Ms A Backhouse  
• Attendance Support Team: Mrs E Mallett – Attendance Leader and Mrs R Qamar – Attendance Administrator.
• Requests for leave of absence: Forms for leave under exceptional circumstances are available upon request from reception.   

We truly value the support of our parents and carers in ensuring children have the best possible start in life. If you are ever worried about your child’s attendance, please contact us at the earliest opportunity – we are here to work with you and your child to find a way forward. Working together, we can make sure that your child attends regularly, enjoys their time in school, and reaches their full potential. 

Yours sincerely, 

Mr C Crehan 
Headteacher