Policy statement
Bettws Lifeline recognises the importance of accurate and timely recording of attendance and absence when working with education settings.

 

Bettws Lifeline aims to reflect the accountable attendance registration processes of the schools we work with.

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Liaising with referring school
Each student who attends school will have a Link Teacher or pastoral staff member in the referring school – this person will be the primary contact for Bettws Lifeline.

 

Bettws Lifeline will make initial contact via email with the school’s Attendance Liaison Officer prior to the pupil attending, making this policy available.

 

Individual mentors will be responsible for keeping attendance data up to date.

Liaising with parents, carers or guardians.

Bettws Lifeline will obtain the contact details of the parent, carer or guardian. If the school is not responsible, then Bettws Lifeline will contact the parent, carer or guardian in the school’s stead.

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Recording attendance
An attendance register will be prepared and kept to inform pupils’ half-termly reports for the referring school. An allocated meeting time and location will be arranged with each pupil; these will often vary per pupil.

The marks used for the register will be:

• O – Attended

• L – Late arrival

• A – Authorised absence

• U – Unauthorised absence

• X – Absconded

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Illness reporting and recording
Parents/carers/guardians (or students if over 18) should call by 9am on each day of illness to notify Bettws Lifeline if a pupil cannot attend provision that day.

 

Bettws Lifeline will complete an Absence Report on the MIS.

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• These absences will be deemed authorised; the Link Teacher/Attendance Liaison Officer in the referring school will only be notified if requested.

• If no contact is received, Lifeline staff will attempt to reach the home and student.

• If a pupil becomes ill during the day, they cannot go home alone; they must be collected by a parent/carer/guardian, or Lifeline staff will deliver them home to a receiving carer.

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Absconding
Any pupil who has received an attendance mark for either the morning or afternoon session but subsequently leaves the provision will be deemed as absconding.

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• For pupils under 16, the Link Teacher/Attendance Liaison Officer in the referring school will be informed as soon as practicable.

• Contact with parents/carers/guardians will be prioritised.

• Where necessary, pupils will also be reported to the police.

• Lifeline staff will not be accountable for locating or returning pupils who have absconded.

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Reporting attendance to referring school
Bettws Lifeline operates a “by exception” approach to notifying referring schools:

• Planned attendance (including lateness) and authorised absences will be reported within half-termly reports.

• Unauthorised absence and absconding will be reported to the Link Teacher/Attendance Liaison Officer as soon as practicable.

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Regular absconding or poor attendance
Bettws Lifeline makes clear from the outset that continuous absconding or non-engagement will affect how we interact with a student and may result in a contract being ceased. Ultimately, individual safety factors will guide risk assessments and decisions about continuing work with a student.

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Document details

• Policy document: Attendance Policy

• Created by: Kay Jones

• Date: June 2025

• Next review: June 2026