Attendance
At Kirkby High School, it is our mission to maximise the potential of all students. This begins with ensuring students attend school every day. There is a direct link between being absent from school and achieving positive outcomes.
When students are absent from school, they will:
Miss learning, leading to gaps in their knowledge
Miss out on opportunities provided in school
Perform below their potential in exams and assessments
Miss out on socialising with friends
See below the impact of missing school
How to contact the attendance team
If your child is absent, you must contact school as soon as possible on the first day of absence to inform school of the reason.
Telephone: 0151 4778710
Ext Year 7 – 3033
Ext Year 8 – 3006
Ext Year 9 – 3119
Ext Year 10 – 3116
Ext Year 11 - 3005
Email: admin@kirkbyhighschool.net
Meet the Team
We have a dedicated team who build strong relationships with families, understand barriers to attending school and work with families to remove these barriers. The team will monitor attendance data and when necessary, contact parents/carers to discuss any concerns.
Mr T. Greenhalgh – Assistant Headteacher
Mrs G. Harrison – Attendance Manager
Mrs R. Perkins – Attendance Officer
Miss J. Courtney Ward – Attendance Mentor for Years 7 and 11
Miss C. Ginley – Attendance Mentor for Year 7s and 10
Miss V. Morgan – Attendance Mentor for Year 7s and 9
Miss M. Horabin – Attendance Mentor for Year 7s and 8
Frequently Asked Questions
What will school do if my child is absent?-
If your child is absent:
We will contact you on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you
We may arrange for a home visit from one of our attendance mentors
We may invite you into school and conduct an attendance meeting to work collaboratively to reduce your child’s absence
What Will Happen if my child arrives late to school?
It is very important that students arrive at school on time every day. If they are late to school, they miss important instructions at the start of a lesson as well as valuable learning time. You can see from the information below, the impact being late to school has on learning.
Daily Process
All students should arrive to school by 8:40am
Students who arrive late after 8:40am will have their name recorded by a member of the attendance team. They will be issued with a 10-minute break detention. Failure to attend the detention will result in a 30-minute detention after school
The school register closes at 9:10am and any students who arrive after the register has closed will receive an unauthorised absence for the morning session (U code - Late after the close of the register)
Parents/Carers will be contacted by the attendance team to discuss any patterns of late arrival to school. Persistently arriving after the register has closed may result in a Penalty Notice fine
Learning the importance of punctuality is a life skill which all students will need for whatever path they choose post 16. Please continue to work with us to prepare your child for life after Kirkby High School and ensure they attend school every day, on time. Don’t Be Late, Be Here By 8:38
How can I make a leave of request?
In line with the current Government legislation and the school attendance policy, parents/carers do not have the right to take children out of school during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. No holidays will be authorised in term time unless it is deemed as exceptional circumstances by the Headteacher.
On the rare occasion circumstances are deemed exceptional by the Headteacher, the duration your child is permitted to be away from school may only be determined by the Headteacher.
All applications for leave must be made at least three weeks in advance. If a leave of absence is not applied for in advance, it will not be granted. When making the decision, the Headteacher will consider the individual circumstances of each application, including any previous pattern of leave, both current and historical attendance and the length of leave requested. By law you must ask for permission for your child to miss school.
Should you remove your child from school without permission you may receive a Penalty Notice fine, currently £160, and your child will incur unauthorised absences on their school record.
When would I Receive a Penalty Notice Fine?
From the 19th of August 2024, the Government have standardised the process for penalty notices. All local authorities must follow the national requirements
Penalty notices for unauthorised absence from school are £160 per child, per parent. The amount will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days
A parent may be issued with a penalty notice if their child’s absence is unauthorised, and they miss 10 sessions within a rolling period of 10 weeks. Ten sessions are usually the same as 5 school days. The 10 weeks may span different terms or school years. For example, two unauthorised absences in the summer term and eight unauthorised absences in the autumn term
The changes apply to any unauthorised absence taken from the start of the new academic year
If a second penalty notice is issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period, the penalty notice will be charged at £160. There is no option for this second offence to be reduced to £80
The Government has set a national limit of two penalty notices that can be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period
If the national limit of two penalty notices has been met, or exceeded, the local authority must consider the use of another tool to improve attendance. For example, prosecution or another attendance legal intervention. The local penalty notice code of conduct will be published on Knowsley MBC Council’s website and has been drawn up in consultation with headteachers and the Merseyside Police Force
Were can I access further Support?
Reducing the spread of illness this winter: Seven steps to healthier schools and higher school attendance – The Education Hub
Is my child too ill for school? - NHS
Home - Kooth
YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds
Childline | Free counselling service for kids and young people | Childline
How to improve your child’s school attendance and where to get support – The Education Hub
Families in Liverpool – Addvanced 2025