The welcome and friendliness of staff at Trafalgar is second to none
Beth Thomas Hancock and John Lynch, University of Brighton

Attendance

Leave of Absence Requests:

If you know your child is going to be away from school then you must complete a leave of absence request form available from the school website or reception.

Leave of Absence Form

Parents are requested NOT to arrange family holidays during term time as this is likely to be regarded as unauthorised absence and parents may receive a Fixed Penalty Notice as a result. However, there may be exceptional circumstances and, as such, each request will be considered by the Head of School.

WHY ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Research shows that pupils with higher attendance do much better at school. Here’s what national studies have found:

Pupils who attend school almost every day (95–100%) are much more likely to achieve strong grades in English and Maths than those who miss school more often.

Missing just 10 days of school in a year can reduce the chance of achieving expected grades by around 25–50%.

Pupils who attend 95–100% of the time are up to 3 times more likely to succeed compared to pupils attending 85–90%.

Improving attendance by even a small amount (an extra 2–3 weeks in school) can greatly increase chances of success.

 

Please Note:

  • If your child’s attendance drops below 90%, they will be classed as a Persistent Absentee. This is a national threshold, and you will be asked to provide evidence for all absences. These figures are reported to the Local Authority and Department for Education.
  • Holidays and family events will not be authorised during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. If not authorised the school is required to refer these absences for a Penalty Notice.
  • We understand that some absences are due to genuine medical reasons, including long-term illness or recovery. In these cases, we’ll work with you to help your child catch up on missed work on an individual basis and ask that you provide the medical evidence to help us support you most effectively.

 

What Trafalgar School Will Do

  • Monitor attendance daily and contact you if we haven’t heard from you.
  • Offer support if your child is struggling to attend regularly. 
  • Keep accurate records including unauthorised absences and patterns of concern. 
  • Inform you early if your child’s attendance drops below 95% or becomes a concern. 
  • Work with families to put support plans in place if needed. 
  • Refer to external agencies when further help is required. 
  • Request appointment evidence for absences during school hours. 
  • Share information with the School Attendance Team when attendance doesn’t improve.

 

THE 96 CLUB

At Trafalgar School, we celebrate excellent attendance through our 96 Club.

Students who maintain 96% attendance or higher are automatically part of the 96 Club and are recognised each term with rewards, certificates, badges and special events.

  • Stay on track with their learning and achieve strong academic progress
  • Build positive habits that support future success
  • Access exciting rewards and be celebrated as part of a school-wide community

Attendance is something to be proud of – and we make sure it’s recognised!

 

How Can Parents Help?

  • Let us know by 9:00am if your child is absent. Please report this via:
    ClassCharts: Click ‘report absence’ to notify the school of the reason your child is unable to attend and upload any medical evidence to support this.
    Phone: 023 9269  3521 (Main Office)
  • Try to avoid booking medical appointments during school hours. If this isn’t possible, please provide evidence such as an appointment card or screenshot so we can authorise the absence.
  • Use ClassCharts to keep track of your child’s attendance and punctuality. This is a great way to stay updated.
  • Only keep your child off school for valid reasons. Absences for birthdays, shopping, or caring for siblings will not be authorised.
  • Always provide medical evidence for absences where possible. Appointment cards, prescriptions or doctor’s notes all help us support you – especially if your child’s attendance falls below 90%.

 

Who to Contact if I have concerns about attendance?

For any attendance concerns or support, please use the following contacts:

Amanda Collis – Head of Student Engagement and Well-being - Email: acollis.trafalgar@salterns.org

Tracy Crouch - Pastoral Support-Safeguarding - Email: tcrouch.trafalgar@salterns.org

Heads of House:

Grant Morris – Britannia House - Email: gmorris.trafalgar@salterns.org

Matt Gronow – Sovereign House - Email: mgronow.trafalgar@salterns.org

Chris Furnell – Temeraire House - Email: cfurnell.trafalgar@salterns.org

Chloe Henshaw – Victory House - Email: chenshaw.trafalgar@salterns.org

If you're unsure who to contact, please reach out to the main office, and we’ll direct your query to the right person.

 

Parents are legally responsible for making sure their child attends school regularly. We are here to support you every step of the way — from advice and understanding, to putting in place practical strategies.

Our experienced attendance team works closely with tutors, Heads of House and external agencies to ensure every child has the best chance of success. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help.

 

Portsmouth School Attendance Team

  • Trafalgar School has a duty to share attendance data with the Portsmouth School Attendance Team (SAT), who monitor all levels of absence – especially Persistent and Severe Absenteeism.
  • Our aim is always to support families and remove barriers to attendance. However, if concerns are not addressed, the SAT may issue a Notice to Improve. This may then be followed by a fixed penalty notice being issued by Portsmouth SAT to each parent.
  • Fixed Penalty Notices can also be issued for unauthorised holidays or when your child has 5 or more days of unauthorised absence without a valid reason.
  • You may receive a formal warning before this action is taken.