Information for current parents

Attendance

Academy Attendance Target: 96%

The attendance register is taken at the start of the first session of each school day, in every session and once during the second session.

West Walsall Academy timings and examples of where late marks will be used:
• AM reg = 8.35am Period 1
• Pupils are late (L code) from 8.35-9.40am (pupils will be marked as present)
• Pupils are late (U code) from 9.41am and this means the late mark is recorded as an absence
• PM reg = 12:00pm Period 4
• Pupils are late (L code) from 12:01pm to 1:00pm (pupils will be marked as present)
• Pupils are late (U code) from 1:01pm and this means the late mark is recorded as an absence

On each occasion the Academy will record whether every pupil is:
1. Present
2. Attending an approved educational activity
3. Absent; or,
4. Unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances.

The Academy will follow up on any absences to:
• Ascertain the reason
• Ensure the proper safeguarding action is taken
• Identify whether the absence is approved or not; and
• Identify the correct code to use before entering it on to the Academy’s electronic register, or management information system which is used to download data to the School Census.

Absences are either authorised or unauthorised.

Authorised absence is where the school has either given approval in advance for a pupil to be out of the Academy or has accepted an explanation offered afterwards as satisfactory justification for absence.

An absence is classified as unauthorised when a child is away from the Academy without their permission. Therefore, the absence is unauthorised if a child is away from school without good reason, even with the support of a parent.

Academy staff are legally in loco parentis and therefore must know where the students are during the Academy day. Pupils are not allowed to leave the premises without prior permission from the Academy.

Whenever possible, parents/carers should try and arrange medical and other appointments outside of the Academy day.

Parents/carers are requested to confirm, by letter, email or telephone call, the reason for any planned absence, the time of leaving, the expected return time.

Pupils must be signed out on leaving the Academy and be signed back in on their return 8 at the student reception.

Where a pupil is being collected from the school, parents/carers are to report to the Academy reception before the pupil can leave the site. If a pupil leaves the Academy site without permission and we are aware of it, their parents/carers will be contacted.

With effect from September 2013 the government abolished the right of Headteachers to authorise absence specifically for holidays of up to 10 days per year if special circumstances existed.

The Headteacher is only allowed to grant leave of absence for any reason if they are satisfied exceptional circumstances exist. 20.If the Academy declines the request for term time leave then a request may be made to the Local Authority to issue a Penalty Notice to each parent, for each child. This is a £60.00 fine per parent if paid within 21 days and £120 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days.
Attendance Policy
FAST_track_Legal_Action_Information_for_Parents_Jan_18

Breakfast Club

Breakfast club runs every weekday starting at 07:30 with breakfast being served until 08:30. There are a selection of hot drinks, cold drinks and food items to choose from. The breakfast club is free for any students wanting to attend. Breakfast club can be found in behaviour management services.

Homework Club

Homework Club, staffed by a qualified teacher, runs every day after school in the library. Students have access to a full range of resources, both printed and electronic. They are able to take advantage of the library ICT suite in order to access ClassCharts, Doddle, BrainPOP, Kerboodle and other sites to support their homework and learning. Full library borrowing services are also an option for students.

In addition to the above, the library houses a range of practical resources available for the completion of project work.

Cashless Catering

West Walsall E-ACT Academy operates its own highly successful in-house meals service through Aspens catering company, we provide students with a balanced and nutritional meal throughout the day this provision meets government guidelines. It is a provision that is popular amongst students, underpinned by a strong belief within our academy that good nutrition plays an important part in aiding student learning.

Every student is provided with an PIN number/thumb print that enables them to purchase food from the canteen area as well as being used to borrow resources from the Learning Resources Centre. Details of monies within the student’s account are retained on the top up system and students can access top-up machines during break and lunchtimes. Alternatively if parents are registered via World Pay, accounts can be topped up online and balances can be viewed as and when required.

We request that students who have food allergies of any kind speak with a member of the Catering team prior to consuming any food within the canteen. We also request that parents/carers contact the academy with any new changes to the medical needs of their children.

Access Cashless Catering
Aspens Canteen Menu

Free School Meals (FSM)

If you are a parent or carer, and receive any of the benefits below, then your child is eligible for Free School Meals.

• Income Support
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross household income of no more than £16,190)
• The Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
• Working Tax Credit run on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

Apply online for FSM