Absence & Attendance

Please log same-day absences using the Parent Portal in the Arbor App. There are guidance links below regarding accessing your Parent Portal. It is important that you include the specific symptoms your child is experiencing rather than stating they are ‘unwell’. Parents are expected to advise the school on the first day of any absence and every day after. It helps for parents to send in or email any evidence of medical appointments, prescriptions etc. to attendance@ashlyns.herts.sch.uk

Logging absences on the Parent Portal and Arbor App
Log into the Parent Portal and the Parent App – Arbor Help Centre
Letter sent to Parents/Carers regarding report absence via the Arbor App February 2026

Requesting Future Absence  Ashlyns School discourages requests for future absence. Parents who have to request leave of absence for their child during term time must apply via the Future Absence Request Form. Leave of absence for any reason is only authorised by the Headteacher in exceptional circumstances, and must be requested with at least 15 working days’ notice.

Good attendance is a partnership between the school, parents and students:

• Poor attendance will affect a student’s education
• Poor punctuality is disruptive for both students and staff
• Good attendance and punctuality is equipping our students for the future
• Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure that their children attend school.

Attendance policy overview

The responsibility for good attendance is shared between the school, parents and students; each party needs to understand the expectations that the policy makes of them. All students registered at the school are expected to attend school and adhere to timetabled lessons. Students are expected to be in school by 08:35 and registered at the start of the school day and at the start of the afternoon session at 14:15.

Good attendance will be recognised and rewarded through many initiatives including letters home, awards and acknowledgments.

Late arrivals/early exits  Students arriving late or leaving school during the day must sign in and out at the school office. This activity is monitored and continual lateness will result in consequences.

Monitoring

Incidences of poor attendance or unauthorised absence are recorded; parents will be written to and may be requested to attend meetings with school officers. For persistent offenders the school will involve the Attendance Improvement Office and this can result in fixed penalties being enforced. Absence registers will be printed at the end of each month so that a legal hard copy record can be stored.

Targets for attendance are set for the school and for each year group by the Governing Body. The school constantly monitors students through form tutors and subject teachers. The attendance data is presented to the Heads of Year and analysed by the senior leadership team and the Teaching and Learning Committee of the Governing Body.