If a child has a planned absence due to a non-routine medical appointment, parents/carers are asked to please inform the school beforehand. Parents/carers may be asked to send in the appointment letter. Parents/carers are asked to make routine medical appointments outside of the school day. The Bridge School expects all pupils attending medical appointments during the school day to attend school before/after the appointment where at all possible.
If absence from school is needed for religious festivals or family events, parents/carers are asked to please contact school in advance and request permission for the leave from the Head Teacher. Parents/carers can write to the Head Teacher directly or the school office can send a leave during term time request form to you to complete and return. A copy is included for your information. The decision to approve Term Time Holidays has been removed from the Head Teacher and most term time holidays will be marked as unauthorised absence. The Head Teacher will carefully consider all parental requests for leave during term time but can only authorise where there are exceptional circumstances.
School attendance and levels of absence are regularly monitored by the school and where attendance is a concern, school will work closely with parents and children to improve the situation.
Hospital Appointments
Pupils sometimes have to attend clinics or hospitals for a variety of reasons. If your child has a hospital appointment, we would ask you please to let us know as far in advance as possible and keep the time taken off school to an absolute minimum. Pupils are expected to attend school in the morning if they have an afternoon appointment and similarly to attend school in the afternoon following a morning appointment. We may ask for proof of the appointment in advance.
Penalty Notices
The Department for Education has brought in a new and updated National Framework for penalty notices, please open the links below to find out further information.