Attendance
Good attendance is the basis of success. You will be asked to sign a contract which will ask you to commit to a high level of attendance. There is a clear system to be followed. If you follow the system you will benefit from a good attendance record not only in your improved academic performance, but also by having a positive attendance record which future employers or Universities will welcome.
Your commitment to attend essential lessons and meetings
- A class register will be taken in every subject lesson and all absences will be recorded. Each tutor, the Learning Mentors and the Director of Sixth Form receive a list of absences each week, and each absence will be rigorously followed through. Absences will be linked to payment of EMA. A weekly return of attendance is sent to the EMA payment body. If students fail to attend lessons, the EMA payment will be withheld.
- Absences which may be known in advance should be notified and verified by the teaching staff concerned. Students should get a yellow absence form from the signing in table and have this filled in by the appropriate staff. The form should then be given to their form tutor at morning registration. This will allow the absences to be entered onto the attendance system in advance, so that when staff complete the class register, the absence will already be entered. Open Day visits for University come into this category.
- Driving lessons, doctors' appointments, dentist visits should be scheduled outside of College hours unless there is an emergency.
- If students are unwell, the Academy should be contacted on each morning, before 8.30 am. The number to ring is 0113 3368600. This will again allow absence to be recorded on the attendance system as illness. In addition, a pink Absence Slip must be completed on the first day back at the Academy and given to the form tutor at morning registration.
NB If students fail to inform the Academy either in advance or on the day, then no reason will be recorded, and the absence will be treated as unauthorised, which will affect EMA payments.
- You must negotiate a 5 minute slot with your tutor each week, for a personal meeting.
- Assembly in the Main Hall must be attended each week. Year 12 - 8.20 am Wednesday. Year 13 - 8.20 am Friday
For its part, the Academy will reflect the changing needs of Sixth Form students and will offer greater flexibility in the timing of the day and the opportunity for students to plan and use their time more effectively.
- Sixth Form timetable now operates between 8.25 and 5 pm with 7 lessons of 1 hour scheduled. Students will have an individual timetable which reflects their choices. This schedule allows the wide range of courses to be offered.
- Assembly is at 8.20 am Wednesday (Year 12) and Friday (Year 13) in the Main Hall. It is a vital point of information.
- Formal morning registration will take place. However, tutors will also be available for personal meetings, in the Sixth Form Block. Messages will be placed on the Notice Boards in the entrance to the Sixth Form Block. These boards should be checked regularly.
- Students will have individual timetables, but as a rule, AS students will have 5 hours study time for each subject in the Academy, and a similar block of time for Vocational course components. This means that all students will have some non-contact time within the College timetable. Students do not have to be present on site when not committed to lessons or meetings, but non contact time does form part of the study contract, and students may find it better to study on site during Academy hours rather than push all study time to after Academy hours. If students wish to leave the Academy, they must sign out on their departure and sign in when they return. This is for Health and Safety reasons, so that we know who is present at all times.
- To sum up: students should attend all their lessons, the meeting time for their year group and their individual tutorial time. If a student is unable to attend any of these, then their tutor must be notified officially.
