Report a Student Absence

For a child to reach their full educational achievement a high level of school attendance is essential. We set a target of 96% attendance for all students. For our students to take full advantage of the educational opportunities offered it is vital your child is at school, on time, every day the school is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable.

What to do if my child is unwell?

If your child is absent, parents/carers must:

• Please email student.absence@cranbourne.hants.sch.uk as early as possible, and by 8.30am on the first day of absence. Please give a reason for the absence and an expected return date. This will go to your child’s Cranbourne Parent Partner (CPP)
• Please contact us every day your child is not at school with a reason for absence
• If you are unable to email, please call your CPP to let us know your child will be absent:
  • For Andrew Lloyd Webber call Miss N Williams on 01256 868642
  • For Austen call Mrs R Ball on 01256 868643
  • For White call Miss J Wells on 
  • For Thomson call Miss H Skinner on

If we do not hear from you, your child’s absence will be registered as unauthorised, and we will contact you as part of our processes around safeguarding. 

It can be difficult to know if your child is too ill to go to school, please refer to NHS guidance on common conditions.

Medical Appointments

Medical and dental appointments should be made outside of the school day. Where this is not possible, a note and appointment card should be sent to the school prior to the appointment via student.absence@cranbourne.hants.sch.uk

Request for leave of authorised absence

Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. All applications for a leave of absence must be made in advance to our headteacher and will only be considered if there are exceptional circumstances.

The fundamental principles for defining exceptional are rare, significant, or unavoidable, which means the event could not reasonably be scheduled at another time.

Examples of exceptional circumstances may include:

• Funeral of close relative
• Religious or cultural observance
• Child participation in public performance
• Competing at national level in sporting activity
• Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Showman families for work purposes only

For more information, please refer to our Attendance Policy.

Every child has a right to access the education to which they are entitled. The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude and any special educational need they may have (Section 7, Education Act, 1996). It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education. Where a child is registered at Cranbourne, parents/carers have a legal duty to make sure their child attends regularly.

Please make your request by completing an Absence Request Form and email to student.absence@cranbourne.hants.sch.uk or hand in to your Cranbourne Parent Partner (CPP).