Attendance and Punctuality

If students are absent, please report absence before 8.00am on the first day of absence and every day after using the following procedure: 

We encourage all parents to report absence using the Arbor Parent App, please see below for details of how to do this: 

To record an absence on the Arbor App click on the Quick Actions button and then click Attendance.  

From here, click the green Log Absence button in the top-right of the page.  

Here, you can input the start and end time for the absence and type in the reason for the absence. Please include as much detail as possible for the reason. Once you have filled in this data, click Log Absence. This will then be visible to school staff.  

Further details on logging absence using the Arbor App can be found here:   

Logging absences on the Parent Portal and Arbor App – Arbor Help Centre  

If you are unable to use the Arbor Parent App to report absence please email n.attendance@novahreodacademy.org.uk before 8.00am on the first day of absence and every day after. If you are unable to email, please call the automated attendance line on 01793 549102 before 8.00am on the first day and each subsequent day of absence. 

Daily absence

As part of our daily attendance monitoring, we phone home for every student who is absent where we haven’t been notified of a reason for this. 

Nova Hreod Academy does not authorise any request for leave of absence unless there are highly exceptional circumstances. All requests for leave of absence must be submitted via the relevant form at least four weeks prior to the requested date. The leave of absence form is available from the school office or by using the link at the bottom of this page. 

All medical/dental appointments should be made outside school hours. If students request to be allowed to attend a medical/dental appointment during school hours, proof of the appointment must be provided, and this must be given to school in advance of the appointment. We will expect students in school before and/or after the appointment depending on the location and the length of travel.  

We have a dedicated first aid team situated in student services. If a student is feeling ill and it is deemed necessary by a member of the pastoral team to seek permission to send them home, we will contact you. Students should not contact parents about going home during the school day. 

If your child requires any time off school for reasons other than the above, please ensure that you put the request in writing and that your child shows the note to the school attendance officer whereupon all relevant actions will be taken. If there is no reason for a student’s absence, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and as such may lead to the start of legal proceedings. Parents/carers of students who have unacceptable levels of unauthorised absence to the academy will be referred to the Swindon Borough Council who may issue a Notice to Improve letter, a Fixed Penalty Fine or Court Notice. As a parent, you have a legal responsibility to make sure that your child receives full-time education between the ages of 5 and 16.

When students arrive late, they miss out on essential instructions given at the beginning of the lesson.  This can significantly reduce achievement.  

We expect all students to arrive at school on time at 8:15am, ready to learn. Students arriving late for school will receive a same day after school detention, unless there is a medical reason for the lateness, which must be backed up by medical evidence. Students who arrive part way to school through a lesson without a medical reason for the lateness will be asked to wait in the reflection room until the start of their next full lesson.  

Parents/carers of students who persistently arrive late to the academy will be referred to Swindon Borough Council who may issue a Notice to Improve letter, a Fixed Penalty Fine or Court Notice.