Attendance Information

We are proud of our students’ attendance levels which year on year are above the National average attendance.  Our Year and Attendance Teams work hard with students and their families to overcome any barriers that affect attendance.

This year, Tadcaster Grammar School have achieved the Bronze Award for Inclusive Attendance and are continuing to work towards the Silver Award.

• Sense of Belonging: Attending regularly helps children feel part of the school community.
• Emotional Stability: Routine helps children feel secure and less anxious.
• Good Habits: Regular attendance builds important life skills like time management and responsibility.
• Better Learning: Regular attendance helps children keep up with lessons and understand material.
• Steady Progress: Attending school every day means students don’t fall behind and can stay on track.
• Higher Grades: Being in school regularly gives children more chances to improve their marks.
• Increased Participation: Regular attendance helps children get involved in lessons and extracurricular activities.
• Extra Support: Children who attend regularly have better access to teachers and extra help when needed.
• Improved Social Skills: Being in school helps children make friends and learn how to work with others.
• Teamwork: Working with classmates in lessons and extracurricular activities builds teamwork skills.

Absence

Frequent absences can add up quickly and be harmful to your child’s progress at school.

If your child is absent, please ensure it is for a genuine illness or emergency only.  Please contact us as soon as possible on the first day of absence, and each subsequent day, by emailing attendance@tgs.starmat.uk or calling 01937 833466 no later than 8.30am.  We look forward to welcoming students back in school as soon as possible after their period of illness. 

Please try to make all medical or dental appointments after school or in the school holidays where possible.  If an appointment during school time is unavoidable, please send your son/daughter into school before and/or after the appointment – we ask that an appointment confirmation email/letter is shared with School in order to authorise the time away from school.

Punctuality

We expect all students at Tadcaster Grammar School to attend school on time every day to maximise their learning potential.  

If for any reason students arrive after 8.30am they should report to the Attendance Office.  Students who arrive after 9.15am should report to the Attendance Office to sign in where staff will mark them as late – this is considered an unauthorised absence.  This will affect their attendance percentage and will impact on their learning. 

If there is a concern over a Students’ attendance, Parents/Carers will be contacted and we will work with you to address any barriers which may be causing the issue.

Holidays in term time

Legislation states that “The Head Teacher may not grant any leave of absence unless there are exceptional circumstances.”

Family holidays no longer constitute exceptional circumstances and consequently will not be authorised.  Parents/carers must apply to the Head of School if they wish their child to have a leave of absence in term time, using the form below and detailing when the absence will take place and the exceptional circumstances behind the absence.  Parents who take their child out of school in term time without the permission of the Head of School may be issued with a fine. 

With the introduction of the new National Framework for Penalty Notices, changes came into force for Penalty Notice Fines issued after 19th August 2024.  To view the changes, please click here.

Attendance Team

A student is deemed to be ‘persistently absent’ if their attendance falls below 90%.

Our Attendance Officer may contact families and students having issues with their attendance. Their role is to assist students and families in overcoming any barriers that may exist that are stopping your child from attending school regularly. 

If a student’s attendance does not improve to the required level after support has been put in place, parents/carers may be fined or prosecuted for irregular attendance.  With the introduction of the new National Framework for Penalty Notices, changes came into force for Penalty Notice Fines issued after 19th August 2024.  To view the changes, please click here.