Stranraer Academy
Attendance Policy
Stranraer Academy · Dumfries & Galloway
Target attendance
95%+
per session
Policy Statement
Regular attendance at school is essential to ensure that every young person has the best possible opportunity to learn, achieve, and succeed. Stranraer Academy is committed to working in partnership with parents, carers, pupils, and Dumfries and Galloway Council to promote high levels of attendance.
Why Attendance Matters
⚠️
Legal requirementAttendance at school is a legal requirement under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Parents and carers have a duty to ensure regular attendance and must work with the school and local authority where attendance falls below acceptable levels.
- Missing school leads to gaps in learning, reduced attainment, and can affect wellbeing and social development.
- Research shows that absence of more than 4 days in a four-week period has a measurable negative impact on progress.
- The Council's expectation is that all pupils aim for a minimum of 95% attendance.
- Every pupil has the right to education and the responsibility to attend regularly.
Principles
- The school will take a supportive, staged approach to addressing attendance issues.
- Attendance concerns will be addressed in partnership with parents, carers, and — where appropriate — multi-agency partners.
- We recognise that some pupils may face barriers to attendance, including medical needs or exceptional circumstances, and we are committed to supporting them.
- All attendance data is accurately recorded and monitored.
Criteria for Success
📉 Absence
- Reduction in overall absence rates
- Reduction in unauthorised absences
⏰ Punctuality
- Improved punctuality across all year groups
👨👩👧 Engagement
- Increased parental engagement in attendance monitoring
📈 Outcomes
- Improved pupil outcomes and attainment linked to better attendance
Monitoring & Review
📊
How we monitorAttendance is monitored daily, with weekly analysis by Pupil Support. Termly reports are shared with parents and carers. The policy is reviewed annually to ensure alignment with Dumfries and Galloway Council policy and Scottish Government guidance.
Shared Responsibility
Good attendance is everyone's responsibility. Tap each card to see the specific duties for pupils, parents & carers, and school staff.
Responsibilities — Tap to Reveal
Pupils
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Pupil Responsibilities
- Attend school regularly and arrive on time
- Be prepared for lessons
- Sign in/out at the office when leaving or arriving outwith normal times
- Report to staff if feeling unwell rather than contacting parents directly
Parents & Carers
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Parent & Carer Responsibilities
- Ensure their child attends school regularly and punctually
- Inform the school of absence on the first morning
- Provide updates for extended absences
- Provide medical evidence where requested
- Engage with the school to resolve barriers to attendance
Staff
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Staff Responsibilities
- Take accurate registers every lesson
- Follow up unexplained absences and refer concerns to Pupil Support
- Monitor attendance within their areas
- Contact home for unexplained absences via Groupcall
- Lead staged intervention for pupils below 90%
Reporting an Absence
📞
How to reportContact the school office on the first morning of absence. For extended absences, please provide updates and medical evidence where requested. The office sends daily Groupcall messages to parents for unexplained absences.
Staged Intervention
Our approach is always supportive first. The staged intervention process is designed to help — not punish — ensuring every young person gets the right support at the right time.
The Four Stages
1
Universal
All pupils — ongoing monitoring
Monitoring by registration and class teachers. Reminders to parents via Groupcall for unexplained absences. Positive support and encouragement to attend.
2
Targeted
Attendance drops below 90%
Contact from Pupil Support or Year Head. Attendance letters issued and support offered. Meeting with parents and carers to identify barriers and agree a plan forward.
3
Intensive
Attendance falls below 85%
Multi-agency meeting involving school, family, and supporting partners. A formal attendance plan is created with agreed targets, support strategies, and a review date.
4
Escalation
Attendance below 70% — referral considered
Where attendance falls below 70%, a referral to Dumfries and Galloway Council Attendance Support Service may be considered. Their team provides time-limited, targeted support to address the underlying causes of absenteeism. Referrals are made to schoolsattendance@dumgal.gov.uk.
💙
Our approach is always supportiveWe understand that absence is sometimes unavoidable. Our goal at every stage is to work with families — not against them — to remove barriers and help young people back into learning.
—
—Days missed
—Lessons missed
—Weeks of school
Would you like to speak to someone?If you have concerns about your child's attendance, Pupil Support are here to help — no judgement, just a conversation about how we can support your family.
✉ Contact Pupil SupportThis calculator is based on Stranraer Academy's confirmed 2025/26 term dates: 188 pupil days across four terms, with 7 lessons per day (1,316 lessons total). Thresholds follow Stranraer Academy's staged intervention process, aligned with Dumfries & Galloway Council guidance. The D&G Attendance Service referral threshold is below 70%. If your child has a medical condition or other exceptional circumstances, please speak with Pupil Support — we are here to help, not to judge.
What Do the Numbers Mean?
🟢 95–100%
- Excellent — on track
- Full access to learning
- No intervention required
🟡 90–94%
- Borderline — monitored
- ~9–18 days missed (63–126 lessons)
- Targeted support may be offered
🟠 70–89%
- Concern — support offered
- Active school involvement
- Attendance plan agreed
🔴 Below 70%
- Urgent support needed
- ~57+ days missed per year
- D&G Council referral may be considered
We're Here to Help
If you have concerns about your child's attendance — or if there are circumstances making attendance difficult — please get in touch. We will always try to work with you, not against you.
Who to Contact
🏫 School Office
- Report absences on the first morning
- Phone: 01776 706484
- Email the office
🤝 Pupil Support
- Discuss ongoing attendance concerns
- Explore support and next steps
- Contact via website
🏛️ D&G Council
- Education Authority support
- www.dumgal.gov.uk
Authorised Absence — What Counts?
- Illness — with parental notification on day one and medical evidence for prolonged absence
- Medical or dental appointments that cannot be made outside school hours
- Exceptional family circumstances agreed in advance with the school
- Religious observance
ℹ️
Family holidays during term time are not authorisedTaking holidays during term time results in unauthorised absence and may trigger the intervention process. We strongly encourage families to book holidays during school holidays.
🔗
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Stranraer Academy · Attendance Policy 2025 · Aligned with D&G Council Guidance
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