It is essential that children and young people form good habits of regular attendance at school from an early age and that good attendance is maintained throughout their school career.

The schools in the Bridport community are committed to working together to ensure that there is a consistent approach to school attendance. It is a legal requirement that all children should attend their educational provision, and it is the responsibility of the family to ensure that their children attend school.

As a parent, you want your child to always be feeling their best for school and when they are not feeling very well it can be confusing to decide whether they should go to school or not. Please click the link to the Initio Learning Trust attendance guidance for parents, which outlines the importance of attendance and what to do if your child is too ill for school.  

Please click the link to our contacts page for details on how to report a student absence.

Parents often contact us to request a leave of absence for their child during term time.  In such cases, a form seeking permission needs to be completed (see tab above or a paper copy can be obtained from the school office).

For many years now we have not actually been allowed to authorise holidays that are taken during term time.  If absence during term is caused by a holiday then the code ‘G’ is applied and this is recorded as ‘unauthorised absence’.  Fines can be given by Dorset Council for holidays that are 5 (10 sessions) days or longer. 

Further information about attendance policy can be found in the statutory information section of our website.