Attendance and Punctuality
Attendance matters and every moment counts
Attendance and punctuality are important
Good attendance is essential for your child’s learning, growth, and wellbeing. We expect all students to attend school on time every day, unless absence is unavoidable due to illness or exceptional circumstances. Parents and carers must notify the school before 8:15 am on each day of absence and keep us informed of ongoing issues.
We work closely with families to support attendance and remove any barriers to coming to school. Regular attendance helps your child build resilience, develop important skills for life, and make the most of their learning. Missing school can affect progress, and being late can disrupt both their learning and that of others.
We appreciate the support of our parents and carers —together, we can help your child thrive and make the most of every opportunity.
Should my child be at school?
It’s natural for children to feel under the weather from time to time, and we want to support families in managing these situations.
NHS guidance is clear: for most common illnesses, children should still attend school. Symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, mild cough, or headache are not reasons to stay home. These can usually be managed with early nights, fluids, and over-the-counter remedies.
Children should only remain at home if they have:
A high temperature (above 38 degrees)
Vomiting or diarrhoea (NB there is no longer a 48 hour post-vomiting rule)
Been advised by a medical professional to rest
Being in school every day matters. We provide:
A safe and structured environment
Specialist staff who support your child
High-quality learning that cannot be replicated at home
Daily routines that build resilience and wellbeing
A sense of belonging and community
Even short absences can affect progress, confidence, and friendships. Research shows that early absence increases the risk of persistent absence later in the year, something we work hard to prevent.
Appointments and exceptional events
Where possible, please make medical appointments outside of school hours. If this isn’t possible, or for other planned events, you must inform school in advance. Students must sign out at Reception before leaving the site and can only do so with permission.
Holidays
You should only take holidays during the school holiday breaks. Permission for holidays taken in term time cannot be granted and will be deemed as unauthorised absences, which may result in a penalty fine.
Reporting absence
If your child is going to be absent due to sickness or an emergency, it is essential that school is informed before 8.15am on each day of absence, providing a clear reason for the absence along with any symptoms. This helps us respond appropriately and avoids any unnecessary follow-up.
You can report your child’s absences by:
Email: absence@honley.tlt.school
Arbor: via the App or Parental Portal
If your child has an unavoidable appointment, please include evidence.
Please note that we cannot take absence messages via other channels such as SMS, office emails, or Facebook messages.
Reporting same day absences on Arbor
Arbor App or Portal:
Open the Arbor app or portal and sign in
Select your child (if you have more than one)
Click Quick Actions, then Attendance
From here, click the green Log Absence button in the top-right of the page
Adjust the start and end time for the absence as needed, and type in the reason for the absence, including symptoms
Once completed, click Log Absence
Once this has been logged, school staff can accept or reject the absence. Approved absences appear in the Attendance tab of the Parent Portal or Arbor App
Why does attendance matter?
At Honley, we believe that excellent attendance and punctuality are fundamental to every student’s success.
Regular attendance ensures that students make strong academic progress, build positive relationships, and fully engage in the wide range of opportunities our school provides.
The more days a student is absent from school, the greater the risk of underachievement and social isolation. Good attendance and punctuality build positive life habits that lead to future success.
There are 175 non school days in each year.
Please use these for personal commitments and help give your child the very best chance of success.
Attendance in Numbers
In many areas, 90% would be seen as a positive result. However, when it comes to school attendance, attendance of around 90% can have a significant impact on a young person’s learning, progress and future opportunities.
Over five school years, the impact of absence becomes significant:
90% attendance = the equivalent of 19 weeks (half a school year) missed
80% attendance = the equivalent of 38 weeks (a full school year) missed
Missing school just twice a month can result in nearly four weeks of lost learning over the academic year.
Research shows that students who miss between 10-20% of school have only a 35% chance of achieving five or more good GCSEs (Grade 4 or higher).
Working together to support students
If you have any concerns about your child’s attendance, please get in touch. Our Pastoral Team is here to support you and your child to ensure they have every opportunity to thrive.
Student Days in School (190)
Half term
Full term
Autumn 1
33
Autumn 2
34
67
Spring 1
34
Spring 2
30
64
Summer 1
24
Summer 2
35
59
Total Days
190
190