SIMS logging late/absences

[penfold]

I'm not sure where to put this so feel free to move it if required. I don't want to go into the ins and outs of this, but basically we have had a letter indicating that the attendance for our daughter is 92% and when we queried this we were told that it was due to having absences for doctors appointments and although they are valid reasons they would still show as absences in SIMS. My query is that although our daughter did have appointments she wasn't actually absent from school. She was late into school(apx 15-20 mins, but after registration).

 

I spoke to someone at the school briefly who offered to print out the details of the attendance, but they said it would be better if the child was present for registration then they would be counted as being in all day in SIM even if they then left for for the rest of the day. I don't deal with SIMS so is there no way that the mark can be updated as it seems a bit unfair to be counted as absent if you are in after the register is taken?

[zebulunn]

although they are valid reasons they would still show as absences in SIMS.

In my experience, this is true. Did you get a report further detailing the un/authorised absences etc.?

 

I believe the attendance team over at mine will mark them as 'M' for the individual session for medical appointment.

 

For the statutory AM/PM marks it might be a black or white 'Present/Absent' only. < Anyone know this 100%?

[Seb1780]

There is a specific mark "Late after register closes" which legally counts as an unauthorised absence; any child not present during registration *must* be marked absent, the code used determines whether that absence is counted as authorised, unauthorised or "Approved Educational Activity".

 

If you want to avoid these absences the only solution is to make appointments that mean you daughter is present for registration.

[penfold]

Thanks, so in our case the fact it was a doctors appointment means it is classed as unauthorised absence as she is not in class for registration. Its not always that easy to get appointments at a more convenient time (without having to wait longer). It just seems a bit wrong that you can have better attendance if you miss the rest of the day after registration than if you miss 10 minutes of registration and then attend the rest of the day.

 

Edit: Just to add this is nursery so only half day, which means if she misses registration it is classed as whole day missed.

Edited January 16, 2017 by penfold