Absences Requiring an Appointment Card or a Signed Note from Home

The following absences from school require an appointment card, a written note or an email from a parent/carer (to attendance@fortismere.org.uk also cc copying the form tutor), which then needs to be handed in to our Attendance Administrator, in South Wing reception, as soon as possible before the absence.

• Medical Appointment – hospital/orthodontist - half a day only
• Music exam - half a day only
• Language exam - half a day only
• Ballet exam - half a day only
• Local funerals - half a day only
• Religious festivals

It is expected that doctor and dental appointments, with the exception of emergencies, are made outside of school hours.

Illnesses and emergencies must still be phoned in on 020 8365 4429 or emailed to attendance@fortismere.org.uk on the day of absence, followed by a letter on the student's return to school, handed to the Form Tutor.

Request for Absence Outside of the Above List

Leave of Absence form

If you need to request time off for your child during the school term for any reason other than those listed above, please complete the online leave of absence form (see button above). In order to complete the form you will need access to your child's SIMS record to find their current attendance percentage. Paper copies can also be collected from either the South Wing Office or North Wing Office.

Process

1. Complete the online form using the attendance percentage found on your child’s SIMS record.
2. Your child’s Head of College will then check your form, in particular verifying the attendance percentage and making a comment on your application.
3. The Form is then passed to the CoHeadteachers who will decide whether to agree the request or not.
4. A letter will be sent to the parent/carer from the office.

Please note that generally an authorised leave of absence will only be considered for students with attendance of 97% or more.

Requests for a leave of absence should be made as far in advance as possible to allow the request sufficient time to be processed through our system.

It is school policy (except in exceptional circumstances) that we will not grant permission to take students out of school for a holiday, trip or any other purpose during term-time. This is to ensure continuity of teaching and learning for all students. We always take into account the effect an absence would have on a student's education and their ability to progress and achieve. Any previous absence will also be taken into account.

If a request is confirmed by the school then failure to return to school on the specified date will result in those days being regarded as unauthorised absence and may result in the issue of a fixed penalty or prosecution in accordance with section 444 of the 1996 Education Act.