Thomond Community College

Pobal Choláiste Thuamhumhan

Thomond
Community College
Student Attendance
and Punctuality
Policy

Reviewed June 2018

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Introduction

Thomond Community College is established under the auspices of the Limerick and
Clare Education & Training Board and is funded by the Department of Education and
Skills. It is an Amalgamation of the Salesian Secondary School and St. Nessan’s
Community College.

Thomond Community College is a multi-denominational, co-educational school. It is

comprehensive in its intake and in its curricular provision.

Motto

The school motto ACE- Appreciate, Celebrate, Educate is a clear statement that
we value and appreciate students in our care, we celebrate and recognise the
achievements and events in their lives and we educate, in a holistic and person
centered way, developing the intellectual, moral, and social capabilities of our
students.

Mission Statement

Thomond Community College aims to create a welcoming, caring, positive and

supportive learning environment. We will endeavour to facilitate the development of
the human, spiritual and academic potential in every student. This will provide
students with a deep sense of respect for themselves and others, thereby enabling
them to become responsible members of society.

Rationale

The role of the school is to provide the highest possible standard of education for all
its pupils. A stable learning environment, continuity and maximum exposure to
educational opportunity are key elements in the fulfilment of this role. The prime
objective of the attendance/punctuality policy is therefore to maximise the
attendance of each student so that educational potential can be fulfilled.

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Policy Aims
● To develop a system of recording attendance/punctuality whereby all students
attending are accounted for during the school day
● To identify students who are at risk of developing school
attendance/punctuality problems and to put in place early interventions to
address those problems
● To establish closer contacts between the school and the families of students
who are at risk of developing school attendance/punctuality problems
● To develop a system of rewarding students for good attendance/punctuality at
school

School Attendance Officer Duties & Responsibilities

The School Attendance Officer has responsibility for the administrative aspects of
student attendance.

Duties would include:

● Compilation of attendance/punctuality registers at the beginning and
throughout the school year
● Collection and filing of absence notes
● Monitoring attendance/punctuality, sending absence letters and
informing relevant post-holders in relation to students with
poor/irregular attendance
● Facilitate meetings with Parent(s)/Guardian(s) as per appendix A & B

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The School Attendance Officer has overall responsibility for attendance and
punctuality. Specific duties include:
● Liaising with the Principal, Deputy Principal, Staff, Assistant Principals,
Home School Community Liaison officer (HSCL), Class Tutors,
Administrative Staff, Community Gardai, NEWB(TUSLA) Attendance
Officer appointed under the Education Welfare Act
● Ensuring compliance with the terms of the Education Welfare Act
● Establishment and implementation of systematic monitoring and follow-
up of student attendance and punctuality
● In conjunction with the relevant Year Head, the application of sanctions
in accordance with school policy for breaches of the Code of Behaviour
in relation to attendance/punctuality (see appendix A & B)
● In association with Parent(s)/Guardian(s), Pastoral Staff, HSCL, School
Completion Programme and outside agencies to work at addressing
those factors which are within the school’s control and could help to
improve attendance/punctuality
● Keeping accurate records and files of all notes and correspondence

Implementation/Roles & Responsibilities

a) Teachers are responsible for and will verify the presence or absence of each
student named in their class list at the beginning of each class. The system
currently in place to carry out this function is VSWare

b) Students who become ill during the course of the school day must obtain a
note in their journal from their class teacher and present themselves to their
respective Year Head for permission to present at the front office, where the
secretary will contact Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
Such students will be allowed home when:
1) The Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have been contacted by the Year Head. The
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) agree to come and collect the student;
2) The Student will be allowed home when they are collected by their
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) or an adult nominated by them;
3) The student has signed the ‘Student Signing Out Book’ in the front
office, or is signed out by the Year Head or Secretary. If the Year Head
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 is unable to make contact with a Parent(s)/Guardian(s) the student will
not be allowed home until contact is made. This is a Health & Safety
issue. This does not apply to Students 18 years or older

c) Students attending games and/or other extra-curricular activities during the

school day must have their names on a list for this purpose. This must be
recorded in the Student Activities Log and emailed to all staff

d) A student who wishes to leave school for some other reason must present
themselves to the appropriate Year Head at a designated time with a signed
Permission to Leave School slip from the students Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
requesting permission to leave. The Permission to Leave School slip may be
found in the Student Journal. The Year Head will co-sign the Permission to
Leave School slip and remove the original copy. The carbon-copy must be
presented to the class teacher prior to leaving the class. This note must also
be presented at the main office where the student will be required to sign out
and be collected by a responsible adult

e) At the first opportunity on returning to school after an absence, a student must

present to the students respective Year Head, an Absence Note signed by the
students Parent(s)/Guardian(s) stating the student’s name and address, base
class, date(s) of absence and reasons for same (Education (Welfare) Act,
2000; Section 18). The Absence Notes may be found in the Student Journal.
The Year Head will co-sign the Absence Note and remove the original from
the Journal

f) The student with the best attendance and punctuality vis-à-vis their peers will
be rewarded periodically with a prize. The student will be identified by the
Class Tutor
g) The School Attendance Officer will refer a student to the Education Welfare
Board when concerns are raised in relation to persistent punctuality problems
and/or poor attendance

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 h) The School Attendance Officer will inform the Board of Management, not later
than 6 weeks after the end of the school year, of the levels of attendance at
the school during the school year just ended

i) Students and Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must give written confirmation of

receiving, reading and acceptance of the Student Attendance – Punctuality
Policy, by completing and returning Appendix C of this policy

SANCTIONS

Punctuality

Students who are persistently late for school will be sanctioned as per the attached
schedule (Appendix A).

Attendance

Students who are absent from school without explanation will be sanctioned as per
the attached schedule (Appendix B).

Absenting during school hours

The Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of those students who absent themselves from class

and/or the school grounds without permission may receive a letter informing them of
the breach of school rules.

Subsequent absences without permission may result in sanctions being imposed,

e.g. detention and/or suspension (subject to a maximum of 3 days).

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APPENDIX A

Sanctions - Punctuality

School commences at 9.00 a.m. each day. It is vital that students are on time each
day and for every class throughout the day. Students who develop patterns of poor
punctuality, not only lose out on valuable tuition time, but this often leads to
difficulties with attendance, if not addressed.

Punctuality patterns will be monitored from September each year with the following
targets and sanctions being applied:

No. Of Days Sanction to be imposed

After 5 days late Lunchtime detention for 20 minutes
unexplained

After 10 days late After school detention (1 hour)

Explained or unexplained

After 15 days late After school detention (2 hours)

Explained or unexplained

After 20 days late A student, if late for more than 20 days, will not be
Explained or unexplained permitted entry to the school, for each subsequent
unexplained late arrival, unless accompanied by
Parent(s)/Guardian(s). After school detention will be
issued on each subsequent late arrival.

 The Parent(s)/Guardian(s) will be notified, in writing, at each stage when the

target number of days has been reached and the sanction is being applied

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 Students who persistently fail to complete the detention sanctioned, will not be
permitted entry to the school, for each subsequent unexplained late arrival,
unless accompanied by Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
 On reaching 15 days late, unexplained, the Attendance Officer may arrange a
meeting with the Parent(s)/Guardian(s) to discuss the schools concerns
 A report will issue at the end of each Academic Year to the
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of students who have had a poor punctuality record
 The Principal may seek a meeting with the Parent(s)/Guardian(s) prior to the
student returning to school for the next Academic Year, at which, further
conditions/sanctions may be imposed, as per the college’s Code of Behaviour

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APPENDIX B

Sanctions - Attendance

It is vital that students attend school on a regular basis. Students, who develop
patterns of poor attendance, not only lose out on valuable tuition time, but this often
leads to difficulties with completing course work/projects and, if not addressed, and
often leads to early school leaving.

Attendance patterns will be monitored from September each year with the following
targets and sanctions being applied for unexplained absence:

Period of Absence Sanction to be imposed

After 4 days absent Letter home informing parent/guardian(s)
unexplained
After 8 days absent Parent(s)/Guardian(s) may be required to
Explained or unexplained attend a meeting with the Attendance Officer

After 12 days absent Parent(s)/Guardian(s) may be required to

Explained or unexplained attend a meeting with the relevant Year Head and the
Attendance Officer
After 16 days absent Parent(s)/Guardian(s) may be required to
Explained or unexplained attend a meeting with the Deputy Principal, relevant
Year Head and the Attendance Officer
After 20 days absent The Attendance Officer will refer the
Explained or unexplained Student concerned to the NEWB (TUSLA)

 The Parent(s)/Guardian(s) will be notified, in writing, at each stage when the

target number of days has been reached
 A report will issue at the end of each Academic Year to the
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of students who have had a poor Attendance Record

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 The Principal may seek a meeting with the Parent(s)/Guardian(s) prior to the
student returning to school for the next Academic Year, at which, further
conditions/sanctions may be imposed, as per the college’s Code of Behaviour
 Thomond Community College has a legal obligation to refer a student to
NEWB (TUSLA) after 20 days absence

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APPENDIX C
Written confirmation of receiving, reading and acceptance of the Student Attendance
– Punctuality Policy.

I/We have read and understood the Thomond Community College Student
Attendance – Punctuality Policy.

I/We understand that it is a condition of acceptance of a place in Thomond

Community College and that I/my/our son/daughter complies with the Student
Attendance – Punctuality Policy.

I/We, as parent(s)/guardian(s), will ensure that our son/daughter does so.

SIGNED: _________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian

SIGNED: _________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian

SIGNED: _________________________________________________________
Student

DATE: ________________________________

Child Protection

Please refer to Thomond Community College’s Child Safeguarding Statement and

Risk Assessment, which is available on request, is on prominent display in the
college’s entrance foyer and is available on the college’s web site.
www.thomondcommunitycollege.ie

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