First day of absence:

A child not attending school is considered a safeguarding matter. This is why information about the cause of any absence is always required.

If your child is absent you must:

Contact us as soon as possible on the first day of absence and explain the reason by:

• Telephone 01252 323910 and leave a message on the absence line
• Telephone 01252 323910 and speak to a member of the office staff
• Email adminoffice@marlborough.hants.sch.uk
• Call into the office and inform a member of the office staff in person
• Write a letter that must reach us on the first day of absence before 9.00 am (all messages will be checked between 8.30am and 9.15am)

If your child is absent we will:

• Telephone or text you on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you; This is because we have a duty to ensure your child’s safety as well as their regular school attendance
• If we cannot contact you, we will contact the other contacts that we have for your child. It is important that we have at least 3 up to date contacts and that you inform us is any contact details change. 
• If we cannot make telephone contact with anyone on the contact list, we will carry out a home visit. 
• If we cannot make contact whilst carrying out a home visit, we will contact the police if we have concerns. 
• Invite you in to discuss the situation with our Attendance Officer and/or Deputy Head Teacher if absences persist
• Refer the matter to the Hampshire’s Attendance Legal Panels if absence is unauthorised and falls below 90%

Children not being in school is a safeguarding matter and therefore, it is vital that you always inform us when your child is going to be absent. The Multi-Agency Case Review below highlights the importance of schools being able to track where children are when not at school and the importance of having enough contacts to keep children safe and well.