Attendance
Reporting an Absence
At Wootton Academy, we believe every school day matters. Regular attendance gives students the best opportunity to learn, make progress, build positive relationships and achieve their full potential.
We understand that some students may have additional medical needs or other circumstances that can make regular attendance challenging. We will always seek to understand individual circumstances and work with families to provide appropriate support.
If your child is unable to attend school, please report their absence directly to the Attendance Team by using either of the following:
Please include your child’s full name, tutor group and reason for absence.
Please do not report absences through other methods of communication. This ensures that absence information is recorded accurately and does not become mixed up with other school communication.
Medical Evidence
Where your child has seen a doctor, please provide a copy of the appointment confirmation.
If your child has been prescribed medication, please provide a photograph of the medication label showing their name and the date prescribed.
Where required, medical evidence should cover the full duration of your child’s absence.
Appointments During the School Day
Where possible, please arrange appointments outside school hours or during school holidays.
If an appointment must take place during the school day, please inform the Attendance Team in advance via email (attendance@wootton.beds.sch.uk) or Class Charts and provide:
Without this information, we may not be able to authorise the absence. When leaving school for an appointment, students must sign out with the Attendance Team before meeting their parent/carer at Reception.
Attendance Support & Home Visits
If there are barriers affecting your child’s attendance, please contact us early so that we can work together to provide appropriate support.
As part of our attendance and safeguarding processes, we may carry out a home visit where there are concerns about a student’s attendance or welfare. Visits will usually be arranged in advance; however, they may occasionally be unannounced where this is considered appropriate to support our safeguarding responsibilities and ensure the welfare of our students.
Our aim is simple: to work with families to help every student attend, engage and succeed at Wootton Academy.
