Absence from School

There are two types of absence from school: authorised and unauthorised.

Authorised Absences: are those where the pupil has received authorisation from a teacher or authorised representative of the school or where satisfactory explanations have been received from a parent/carer (e.g. pupil illness.)

Unauthorised Absences: are those where a pupil is absent from school without the permission of a teacher or representative of the school.

Educational Authority Policy:

Please click here for the link to the Cambridgeshire County Council Website for current guidance on "Attendance", "Non- Attendance and the Law" and "Term time holidays."

Our Attendance policy to the left of this page. 

Planned Absence Notification:

With regards to planned absence, the legal position is clear: parents do not have the right to take their child(ren) out of school for holidays during term time. By law you must ask permission for your child to miss school and if you fail to gain the school’s permission and still go away on holiday you will be referred to the County Education Welfare Officer and may risk receiving a £60 penalty notice per parent per child and/or prosecution.

A Headteacher may only grant a leave of absence during term time if there are exceptional circumstances full details of which will be required.  If you do seek to withdraw your child(ren) from school during term time please read our guidance note for parents (see left) then you must apply using the application form (on the left of this page also). All sections of this form must be completed, signed and handed to our Attendance Officer, Mrs Solanki not less than two weeks before the absence period requested. Incomplete forms will not be considered. 

The School will consider each request for planned absence on an individual basis taking into account the following factors only after the test of “exceptional circumstances” has been satisfied: the time of year of the proposed trip, if the dates are close to any exam dates, the pupil's overall level of attendance and in particular whether holiday has already previously been taken during any previous school year, the age of the pupil and the ability of the pupil to catch up on the work missed.  

The planned absence forms are also available from the Attendance Office found near the pupils' entrance to school. 

Same Day - Online Notification

If a pupil is required to leave the school premises during the school day (perhaps to go to a medical or other appointment) the parent/carer should email Mrs Solanki on attendance@combertonvc.org , copying their email to their child's tutor the day before the appointment.  

This authorisation will be checked by the pupil's form tutor and/or teacher of the lesson they are leaving. The pupil must also 'sign out' (with the Attendance Officer) before leaving the school premises so the school has a record of them being off-site in the event of a fire evacuation or other emergency. The pupil must sign in' upon their return. 

Same Day - By Phone Message:

For 'same day' notification (short-term illness or doctors' appointments etc) parents/carers can also register pupil absences by phone. Please call the college on 01223 262503. Parents or guardians should leave a message stating pupil name, tutor group and the reason for absence. Parents/carers should notify pupil absences as soon as possible, ideally by 8.30am on each morning of absence.

If the pupil is absent from school and a notification of absence is not received, the college will record an 'unauthorised absence' against the pupil and a text message will be sent to parents requesting the reason for the absence. 

If a pupil is due to leave school premises during the school day (perhaps to go to a medical appointment) the parent/carer should also write a short explanatory email to attendance@combertonvc.org copying in their child's teacher. This authorisation will be checked by the pupil's form tutor and/or teacher of the lesson they are leaving. The pupil must also 'sign out' (at the Attendance Office) before leaving the school premises so the school has a record of them being off-site in the event of a fire evacuation or other emergency. The pupil must 'sign in' on their return.  

The Education Welfare Officer  

The Cam Academy Trust employs an Education Welfare Officer, Rachael Panther. The school and EWO always try to work with pupils and parents at an early stage to resolve problems. This is nearly always successful. However, the EWO also has a legal role and if other ways of resolving attendance have failed, these officers can use legal sanctions such as Penalty Notices or prosecutions in the Magistrates court. Rachael can be contacted via the school reception.Latest covid guidance as at 19th April 2022 

Latest Covid guidance as at 19th April 2022 

Adults and children who have symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, should follow the UKHSA guidance.

Children and young people with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting.

Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature and they are well enough to attend.

All children and young people with respiratory symptoms should be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing and/or sneezing and to wash their hands after using or disposing of tissues.

Children and young people aged 18yrs and under who have had a positive result.

If a child or young person has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test, if they can. After 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower. This is because children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults.

Children and young people who usually go to school, college or childcare and who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal.