Supporting your child’s future
Providing services and facilities to our local communities
Regular attendance and punctuality are essential to your child’s learning and progress at Itchen Sixth Form College. Attending all lessons and tutorial sessions gives students the best opportunity to keep up with their studies, make progress and achieve their goals.
We understand that students may occasionally be unable to attend college. This page explains what parents and guardians need to know about attendance, absence, planned absences and punctuality.
Students are expected to:
Attendance is closely monitored as part of student progress. Teaching staff and personal tutors are responsible for monitoring attendance and responding to concerns.
Where there are concerns about attendance, the College may provide additional support through Student Support, Support for Learning, an Attendance Mentor or a Study Mentor, depending on the student’s individual needs.
If your child is unable to attend college, you or your child should contact the College before the absence and on each day of absence, unless the College is already aware that the absence is going to be long term.
All absences are initially recorded as unauthorised unless there is a valid reason. It is the responsibility of the student or parent/guardian to provide an explanation and request authorisation. Student Services will consider requests on a case-by-case basis.
If your child knows in advance that they will be absent, a Planned Absence Form should be completed.
This can be used for known or planned absences, including requests relating to medical appointments, funerals or other circumstances where an absence may need to be authorised.
The form is available from Student Support.
Where possible, medical, dental and other appointments should be arranged outside college hours.
If this is not possible, your child should follow the planned absence process and request authorisation.
Students who need to leave college during the day should follow the College’s sign-out arrangements.
Students are not expected to take holidays during term time.
The College calendar provides designated holiday periods, and families are expected to plan holidays during these dates.
Term-time holidays are very strongly discouraged and will almost certainly be recorded as unauthorised absence.
Being on time is an important part of good attendance and helps students develop habits that will support them beyond college.
Itchen operates a ‘Knock and Wait’ policy for students who arrive late to lessons.
Our current register arrangements are:
Punctuality is monitored alongside attendance so that any concerns or patterns can be identified and discussed with the student.
Attendance information is monitored by teaching staff and personal tutors.
Patterns or concerns about attendance can be identified and discussed with students so that appropriate support can be put in place.
Parents and guardians can view up-to-date attendance information through ProPortal, the Parent & Guardian Portal. Text messages about attendance may also direct parents and guardians to ProPortal.
If you are concerned about your child’s attendance or notice a change in their attendance pattern, please speak to their tutor in the first instance.
The College can work with students and families to understand the reasons behind attendance concerns and identify appropriate support.
Early communication is important. If your child is struggling to attend regularly, please get in touch rather than waiting for the situation to become more difficult.
