Who Should I Contact?

Main switchboard number – 0121 289 3556

To report a students absence – Press 1

to speak to:

• a member of the pastoral team, press 2
• a member of the admissions team – Press 3
• a member of the SEND team – Press 4
• a member of Career and Destinations team – Press 5
• a member of the Finance Team – Press 6

For all other enquiries or to speak to reception please hold or Press 0

General email enquiries should be directed to [email protected]. We will endeavour to reply within 3 working days.

Specific enquiries

Your son’s/daughters’ tutor is the first point of contact. You will be informed of the tutor at the beginning of the academic year. Again, we will endeavour to answer initial queries by telephone within 3 working days. If your enquiry is urgent contact Reception and speak to or leave a message.

Student absence

If your child is ill and unable to attend the academy, please call the main switchboard, using option 1 as early as possible. Leave your name, the student’s name and reason for absence. Alternatively, send an email to [email protected].

Illness during the academy day

Students must report to reception if they feel unwell during the academy day. A First Aider will be called to assess the student. If a Year 10 or 11 student needs to be sent home, a telephone call will be made to the parent/carer so they can be collected and signed out from reception. If no one is available to collect your child, they will be kept safely at the academy.

Medical/other appointments

Please try to arrange appointments out of academy hours. However, sometimes we understand this is not possible and when this occurs, please supply a copy of the medical appointment to reception. Emails can be sent to [email protected].

Students will be provided with a pass to enable them to leave for their designated agreed time. Year 10 and 11 students must be collected and signed out by a parent/carer.

What happens if my child needs first aid?

By nature, first aid requires close contact between students and qualified members of staff. To limit this contact, students will be encouraged to administer basic first aid to themselves under 

supervision. This includes cleaning and dressing small cuts and grazes. Where this is not possible, staff will wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, surgical masks and aprons, to administer first aid.

Accidents rarely occur at WMG academy, however some injuries from sporting activities and practical subjects are inevitable and this is why the above arrangements are in place.

Attendance

The WMG academy has a target attendance of 98% for all students, and we will inform parents at all available opportunities of their child’s progress. To help support the monitoring of attendance at WMG Academy, we will work with A Start Attendance to track attendance. The academy undertake a range of attendance intervention strategies including the following:

• Tutor Conversations – To check reasons for absences on a weekly basis.
• Parental phone calls – To check if there are any unexplained absences.
• Stage 1 Support – Letter sent expressing concerns that Attendance is below 98% – Attendance Report will be issued.
• Stage 2 Support – Letter sent expressing concerns that Attendance is below 90% – All Absences will now require evidence such as medical evidence of your child’s illness, proof of prescriptions and evidence of appointment cards etc.
• Stage 3 Support – Letter sent expressing concerns that Attendance is below 85% – Requesting a meeting in school, Inclusion Services notified.
• Stage 4 Support – Fixed Penalty Notice Warning Letter sent, expressing concerns and outline that a Fixed Penalty Notice is possible..
• Fixed Penalty Issued.

The academy asks that all absence phone calls are reported by 8.30am each morning, and will notify parents by 9.30am via text if their child has not received any marks. Please remember that it is your responsibility to inform the Academy of your child’s absence. We do not authorise any holidays taken during term time.  In cases of persistent absence, (Below 85%) all absences will be unauthorised regardless of the circumstance or reason, unless supported by medical evidence. Tutors at the academy will support students with poor attendance, to help improve this and ensure learning time is not continually lost.

When students are absent for three consecutive days a welfare visit will be conducted by either the attendance officer, family support worker or the deputy designated safeguarding officer.

Good Attendance Guide

Medical Appointments

Where possible all medical appointments should be booked outside of the academy hours. Where this is not possible the amount of academy time missed should be minimum. The academy time missed should be minimum. The academy may not authorise the time off if medical evidence is not provided.

Too ill to attend

Students can attend school with minor ailments (toothache, headache, stomach ache, cold and sore throat), over the counter medicines can be given before school. The academy will contact you if they become too ill to remain in school.

What can you do to help?

Make sure your child arrives at school time. This encourages habits of good timekeeping and lesson any possible classroom disruption. If your child arrives after the register has closed without good reason, this will be recorded as an ‘unauthorised’ absence for that session.

If you know or think that your child is having difficulties attending school you should contact the school. It is better to do this sooner rather than later as most problems can be dealt with very quickly.

Reporting Absence

In all cases of absence parents or carers should please;

Telephone the academy on the first day of the absence before 9.00am. A message can be left or you can speak to the secretary. Absences should continue to be reported for each day the child will be absent.

What might the impact of poor attendance be on your child?

Research has shown that children who are not in school are most vulnerable and are easily drawn into crime. Those children who pay truant are more likely to offend than those that do not. Research also shows that:

• Less than 40% of students in secondary schools with an average of 17 days or more absence get 5 good GCSEs (grades 9-5) compared to more than 90% with an average of less than 8 days absence.

Unauthorised absence in term time (holidays)

Students are not entitled to holidays in term time. Family holidays should be taken time. Family holidays should be taken during the school holiday period. Requests for leave due to exceptional circumstances must be made in writing to the Principal.

Important Information

Lessons start at 8:30 am so students must arrive at the academy at least 5 minutes before the start of lessons to ensure that they have enough time to go to their lockers and get themselves ready for their learning.

What does the law say?

By law, all children of compulsory school age must get a suitable, full-time education. As a parent, you are responsible for making sure this happens, either by registering your child at a school or by making other arrangements which provide a suitable full-time education.

Once your child is registered at a school you are responsible for making sure he or she attends regularly. If your child fails to attend regularly – even if they miss school without you knowing, the Local Authority (LA) may take legal action against you. The LA is responsible for making sure that parents fulfil their responsibilities. Parents are responsible for making sure that their registered children regularly attend school and any alternative provision arranged for them. If you think you might need to take your child out of school, discuss the reasons with the school as soon as possible.

The world is run by those who turn up

• Attending school every day = 100% attendance
• Attending 4 ½ days a week = 90% attendance = 4 weeks missed per year.
• Attending 4 days a week = 80% attendance = more than half a term missed per year or 2 full years.
• Attending 3 ½ days each week = 70% attendance = more than a quarter of the school year missed.

An average attendance of 80% or less across a child’s school career adds up to missing a whole 2 years from school.

 Being late for school reduces learning time.

• If your child is 5 minutes late every day they will miss 3 days of learning each year
• If your child is 15 mins later every day they will miss 2 weeks of learning each year

MAKE EVERY MINUTE COUNT