Punctuality

Punctuality and Attendance: Building Foundations for Success

At Cheam High School, we view punctuality not just as a rule, but as a vital life skill. Good punctuality is essential for students to achieve their full educational potential and establishes the discipline required for future careers and higher education.

 

Why Punctuality Matters: The Evidence

Research consistently shows a direct correlation between attendance, punctuality, and academic attainment.

  • Academic Impact: Even being 10 minutes late every day adds up to 33 hours of lost learning time over a school year. This 'lost time' often occurs during the crucial start of lessons when the Do Now task is completed. This task is crucial in the retrieval of knowledge strengthening the neural pathways associated with that knowledge.
  • Future Readiness: Punctuality records are a standard component of references for employers and universities. Consistent lateness can signal a lack of reliability to future recruiters.
  • Social Integration: Arriving late can be stressful for students, as they must enter a room where learning is already underway, often missing vital social interactions with peers and tutors.

 

Expectations and Monitoring

All students are expected to arrive in enough time to be seating in tutor at 8:30 am. A register is taken at the start of the day and at the beginning of every lesson.

  • Tracking: Students arriving late are recorded with the exact number of minutes missed.
  • Safeguarding: If a child has not arrived by 9:15 am and we have received no notification, our automated system will contact you. This ensures we are all aware of your child's location and safety.
  • Staff Alerts: Teachers use an automated system that provides real-time alerts to ensure lateness is caught and addressed immediately.

 

Lateness and the Law

In accordance with Department for Education (DfE) guidelines, school registers must close at a set time.

  • The 9:15 am Rule: If a student arrives after 9:15 am, they are marked as absent (unauthorised) for the entire morning session, rather than just late.
  • Legal Implications: Under the National Framework for Penalty Notices (updated 2024), parents are liable for a Fixed Penalty Notice if a child reaches the national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions (half-days) within a rolling 10-week period.
  • Costs: The fine is £80 per parent if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid between 21 and 28 days.

 

How We Support Good Punctuality

We foster a culture of 'being on time' through several proactive measures:

  • Positive Reinforcement: Awarding tutor points to groups with 100% punctuality records.
  • Active Presence: Senior staff and duty teams are positioned at the school gates and in corridors to encourage efficient movement between lessons.
  • Transparency: Termly attendance and punctuality reports are sent home to help parents identify patterns.
  • Pastoral Support: We recognise that persistent lateness can sometimes be a sign of underlying issues. Our team is dedicated to exploring these causes and providing support to families.

 

How Parents/Carers Can Help

Success starts at home. We ask that parents:

  1. Prepare the night before: Ensure bags are packed and uniforms are ready to avoid the morning rush.
  2. Establish routines: Set alarms early enough to account for unexpected delays (traffic, missed buses).
  3. Communicate: If there are barriers preventing your child from arriving on time, please reach out to our pastoral team early so we can work together.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

My child was only 5 minutes late. Why the fuss? Consistency is key. If a student is 5 minutes late every day, they miss the equivalent of three full days of school per year. We aim to prevent small lapses from becoming permanent habits.

The bus was late/traffic was bad. Is this an excuse? While we understand transport frustrations, these are generally not accepted as valid reasons for lateness. We advise students to aim for an earlier bus to allow for 'buffer time'. We only make allowances during major local incidents (e.g., extreme weather or severe accidents affecting the whole community).

We overslept as a family. Will my child get a late mark? Yes. While we empathise with the occasional difficult morning, oversleeping is not a 'legitimate' reason for absence or lateness under DfE guidelines.

What if I disagree with the policy? Our policy is designed to comply with statutory DfE regulations and prioritise student learning.