Extensive research shows the vital impact good attendance has on children's friendships, mental well-being, and future life chances. If you are experiencing difficulties as a family, please let us know. Our 'SUPPORT FIRST' offer includes early support, so that low attendance does not become a problem. We may be able to help with a range of areas - or signpost you to those that can help. This could include support for:

• financial/debt problems
• housing issues
• parenting challenges
• medical needs
• mental health

Come and speak to us to see what we could help with.  All requests for support are treated in confidence.

- New Cross Street (Mrs. Singh), telephone: 01274 777360

- Usher Street (Miss Fowley), telephone: 01274 724581

You can also email us: office@bowlingparkacademy.co.uk

Contact school as soon as possible on the first day of absence. If no notification of absence is received, the school office will contact you to ascertain the reason.

Where possible, let school know in advance of any planned absences, for example, hospital appointments.

Where possible, make medical or dental appointments outside of school hours.

To report your child’s absence, please phone the school.

New Cross Street: 01274 777360

Usher Street: 01274 724581

Parents should inform the school of the reason for their child’s absence so that the school can:

• Determine if the child’s absence needs to be excused in line with school policy.
• Determine the appropriate follow up to ensure the child’s education and wellbeing are supported.
• Record if the parent has a reasonable excuse for not meeting their obligation to ensure their child attends school each day.

Authorised absences

• Genuine illness of the pupil
• Hospital or dental appointment for the pupil
• Death of a near relative
• Religious observance (faith of the parents or carers )

Unauthorised absences

• A shopping trip
• A birthday treat
• Oversleeping due to a late night
• Looking after other children
• Letting the gas man in, etc.
• The parent or carer is unwell 

Is my child too ill to come to school?

The NHS website below contains useful information to identify and support illnesses for children attending school.

Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (click here) 

My child requires medication in school?

School can administer medication that has been prescribed by a doctor (with a pharmacy label on) that requires administering 4 times a day or more or that should be taken with food. If the medication states 3 times a day, then this should be given at home (before school, after school and before bed).

School can also administer Calpol/Paracetamol if it is provided to us in an unopened bottle, sealed sachet or fast melt (for up to 3 days maximum). We cannot accept open bottles of medication that is not prescribed by a doctor.

For all medication in school, a medication form must be completed by the parent/carer and both the medicine, and the form must be handed to the School Office in the morning and collected from the School Office at the end of the day. Please contact the school office for more information.

At Bowling Park we work hard to make sure school is a warm and welcoming place for children to come each day. Our Learning Mentor team also work closely with staff and families, ensuring children who may be struggling are ready to learn.

Rewards are used to celebrate children with excellent attendance and those who have made big improvements. This takes many forms, from 100% weekly attendance golden stickers to termly rewards like movie afternoons and a visit from the ice cream van. 

Holidays with children in term time are not permitted under UK law. If leave during term time cannot be avoided, a leave request form should be completed. These can be obtained from the school office. The Headteacher will then decide whether or not to authorise this absence . Under UK law Headteachers can only authorise leave during term time if "exceptional circumstances" exist, even if your child has an excellent attendance record or if you believe that the reason for the absence is justified.

Parents can be fined £80 per child per parent - rising to £160 for a second offence - increasing to potential prosection and a £2,500 fine for a third offence. This is the same for all UK schools.

If you want to know more about how Bradford Council issues fixed penalty notices, click below:

Warning and penalty notices | Bradford Council (click here)

We encourage all medical and dental appointments to be made outside of school hours. We may also require medical evidence of absence due to illness. 

Where children are not attending school, we work very hard with families and outside agencies to help support the children back into school. This includes meetings, home visits and referrals to the Council attendance team.

A child whose attendance is less than 90% means that school is required to take formal action and work with parents to make quick and sustained improvements. 

If a child is 'persistently absent', they are in the bottom 15% of children in the UK for attendance. We will work with parents to make rapid improvements if this is the case. If parents are not seen to be taking action to improve things, they can be subject to a fine from Bradford Council or even prosecuted. 

So why does persistent absence matter?

Missing school has a huge impact on how well a pupil gets on at school. The more school a child misses, the harder it is for them to get into a routine of attending regularly and catch up on the work they have missed.

Research shows that a year 11 pupil who has missed 17 days during the school year will get one grade less than they would have achieved had they attended regularly. Research also shows that persistently absent children are less likely to do well at school, are more likely to experience crime, either as a victim or perpetrator, struggle financially, and even suffer with poor health in later life.

A few days of absence now could have a huge impact on a child's future opportunities.

We email parents every week of their child's attendance so you can see what impact absences have through the year. 

School starts at 8:35am prompt!

When a child arrives late to school it can be very disruptive to your child, the teacher and other children in the class. If your child arrives late to school they will be marked as late on the register. If your child arrives very late, the child will be marked as an "Unauthorised Late" - This is the same as an Unauthorised Absence.

We ask parents/carers to accompany late children to the office where a reason for lateness and the number of minutes late, will be recorded on their child’s attendance record. 

Learning starts straight away when children enter the classroom. We also know from talking to children that they do not like coming into the classroom late. 

Being late by just a few minutes adds up. 

Good attendance is everyone's business -and we all have a role to play in ensuring children attend every day. Parents, teachers, school leaders and our governors need to know the part they plan in achieving this. 

At the end of the first Spring half-term:

Attendance

We are currently in the top 30% of schools nationally for attendance. Whereas we are pleased with this, we want to do better!

Persistent Absence

This is currently 13.5%. Last year, the UK average was 15.4%.

We are currently in the top 30% of schools nationally for our low rates of persistent absence. Again, we are really pleased with this - and are aiming to bring this down even further.