Attendance

Welcome to our School

Please e-mail office@oakley.kent.sch.uk if you would like any of the information on our website in a different format.

Our children and young people are at the heart of everything we do.

A very warm welcome to Oakley School. We are the district Special School for children and young people from 3 to 19 years with a wide range of special educational needs located in our Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge (post-16) sites

Our Mission: Children and Young People at the heart of all we do.

Our Ethos: Work Hard, Be Kind, Have Fun & Stay Safe

Our Vision: To give all our children and young people opportunities to engage, explore, discover and develop their independence – to become confident, resilient, happy and well prepared for a positive and meaningful future.

At Oakley School we are ambitious for our pupils and offer a rich Creative Curriculum that is personalised and offers learning in school as well as in the community. Our skilled and dedicated staff team work very hard to make learning motivating, interactive, challenging and fun, whilst ensuring that all our children and young people feel safe, valued and self-confident. We promote “Skills for Life and Independence” so that when pupil leave Oakley School they are prepared for the next phase in their lives and have the best opportunities.

Pupils' wellbeing and engagement is central to all our decision making and how we structure our school and the interventions we use.

Our Wider Curriculum offers excellent enrichment activities including: lunch and after school clubs, curriculum trips and residential experiences in the United Kingdom and abroad. These opportunities provide pupils time and experiences to develop their life skills in new places and with different people in preparation for their next steps.

We work collaboratively across our school community with our Families, Therapists, NHS Colleagues and other professionals and external organisations to support and meet the needs of our pupils.

We hope that you enjoy your visit to our website, and that you find the information you are looking for. Please feel free to contact the school directly with any queries you may have. If you would like a paper copy of any of the information on our website, we would be happy to provide it, free of charge. Email office@oakley.kent.sch.uk

or call us on 01892 823096.

It is my privilege to be the Headteacher at Oakley School and we welcome you to visit the school so you can meet pupils and staff to experience our very special school.

Sam Perryman
Headteacher

Attendance

Our Attendance Expectations at Oakley School

At Oakley School, we know that every day in school makes a difference. We want to work closely with you to make sure your child feels safe, supported and ready to learn.

Letting us know about absences

If your child is unwell or unable to attend, please contact our Attendance Officer as early as possible on the first day of absence.

How to report an absence or appointment:

Class Dojo: Send a message to the Attendance Officer
Absence Line: Call the school office absence line 01892 823096
Arbor: Send a message on Arbor
Email: Email the School Office

It is really important that absences are reported through the school office, not via teachers, as messages passed informally can be missed and may lead to unnecessary follow‑up calls.

Please include:

Your child’s name
Their class
The reason for absence
Expected return date (if known)

Authorised vs Unauthorised Absence

Absences may be authorised for:

Illness
Medical or specialist appointments
Exceptional circumstances (considered individually)

Absences will be marked as unauthorised if:

No reason is provided
The reason doesn’t meet authorised criteria
Holidays or avoidable absences take place during term time

How We Monitor Attendance

We regularly review attendance to ensure pupils are safe and receiving the support they need. If we notice a pattern or concern:

We may contact you to discuss what’s happening
We’ll work together to understand any difficulties
Support may be offered to help improve attendance
Our aim is always to help, not to pressure.

Why Attendance Matters

Good attendance is essential for many reasons:

1. Safety and Safeguarding

We must know where every pupil is each day. Attendance helps us fulfil our safeguarding duty.

2. Routine and Emotional Wellbeing

Many of our pupils thrive on structure. Being in school helps them feel settled, secure and ready to learn.

3. Access to Teaching and Therapy

Regular attendance means your child won’t miss:

Specialist teaching
Speech & Language Therapy
Occupational and Physiotherapy sessions
Social and emotional support

4. Social Interaction

School provides valuable opportunities to:

Build friendships
Develop communication
Practise independence and life skills

5. Progress and Long‑Term Development

Every session contributes to your child’s learning journey, confidence, independence and preparation for adulthood.

attendance-policy.pdf

Welcome to our School

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