Attendance and Medical
Students must arrive by 8:25am to be in class for an 8:30am start.
Brentwood traffic is worsening, so please allow extra travel time. If lateness is unavoidable, email our attendance address. Staff are on the gate each morning to record latecomers.
Students are expected to attend every day, as good attendance supports achievement and wellbeing.
If your child is unwell, parents/carers must call 01277 238900 by 8:30am on the first and every day of absence, giving the reason and an expected return date. Illness should be briefly explained.
Absence can also be reported by emailing attendance.bch@osborne.coop.
Daily contact is required for ongoing absence, and the school may request medical evidence.
If we do not receive a call or email, the school will contact home to confirm the reason for the absence and ensure the student is safe.
Feeling Unwell During School
If a student feels unwell in a lesson, they must tell their teacher. The teacher will contact the Wellbeing Officer, who will decide if the student needs to go home and will call the parent/carer.
Students must not phone home themselves and must never leave the school site without permission.
Medical Appointments
Parents should arrange medical appointments outside school hours whenever possible. If an appointment during the school day is unavoidable, parents/carers must give the school advance notice and provide evidence by emailing the attendance address.
All medical evidence for appointments and any absence must be sent to the attendance email address or voicemail. This will then be passed on to the relevant staff and departments.
Holidays During Term Time
The Government does not give any entitlement to parents to take their children out of school during term time. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 prohibits Headteachers granting leave of absence to a pupil except where an application has been made in advance and the Headteacher considers that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application. If leave is considered by parents or carers to be absolutely necessary, a holiday request letter or email should be completed and returned to the school at least two weeks before the proposed dates. A reply will be sent, following consideration and if granted will include the conditions of approval.
Any term-time holiday will affect a student's coverage of the curriculum in all years. The link between attendance and academic outcomes is very clear. Students with higher attendance achieve more in their exams.
Sixth Form Attendance
Brentwood County High School expects excellent attendance, and Sixth Form students should maintain at least 96% attendance. Strong attendance is closely linked to higher achievement and better progression, while poor attendance can limit success.
Parents/carers must report all absences, as students cannot report their own. To report an absence, contact our Sixth Form Attendance Officer, Miss Nelder, by emailing c.nelder.bch@osborne.coop or by calling 01277 238900 (ext. 256).
