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Attendance Policy Summary
The O’Brien International School and College
Updated August 2026
The O’Brien International School is committed to delivering high-quality education designed for global success. Regular attendance is essential to benefit fully from:
The O’Brien International School
Student Attendance and Punctuality Policy
1. Policy Statement
The O’Brien International School recognises that regular attendance and punctuality are essential for academic progress, personal development and successful learning. Students and families are expected to work with the school to maintain good attendance and ensure that missed learning is addressed.
2. Attendance and Notification
Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and compulsory school activities punctually.
Parents or guardians must notify the school of an absence by 9:00 a.m. on the day concerned, by email:
**theobrienlanguagecentreoffice@gmail.com**
Notifications should include the student's name, class, reason for absence and expected duration, where known.
3. Justified and Unjustified Absences
Absences may be justified by circumstances such as:
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Illness or medical appointments.
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Family emergencies or bereavement.
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Legal obligations.
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Approved educational activities or school-sponsored events.
Unauthorised holidays, avoidable absences and absences without adequate explanation may be recorded as unjustified, subject to the circumstances and applicable law.
Medical documentation may be requested where reasonably necessary. Planned absences should be requested in writing at least one week in advance. Emergency documentation should be provided within 48 hours of the student's return, where reasonably available.
4. Monitoring and Intervention
The school will maintain attendance records and contact families when concerns arise.
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Five absences in a term: Parents or guardians will normally receive written notification and may be invited to a meeting to discuss attendance and academic support.
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Ten or more absences in a term: The school may conduct a formal review of attendance, academic progress and any support required.
These are internal school monitoring thresholds, not statutory Spanish absenteeism thresholds. Where applicable, the school will follow the relevant Spanish and Andalusian attendance and reporting procedures.
No enrolment decision will be based solely on these numerical thresholds. Any further action must comply with the applicable law and the school's enrolment arrangements.
5. Punctuality
Students must arrive before their scheduled classes begin.
Three recorded late arrivals may count as one absence for the school's internal monitoring purposes. Repeated lateness may lead to a meeting with the family and appropriate support or proportionate disciplinary action.
Official attendance records and any legally required reporting will follow the applicable regulations.
6. Missed Work
Students are responsible for completing work missed during an absence. As a general guideline, they will have the number of days missed plus one additional school day to complete outstanding work.
Teachers may adjust deadlines for illness, major assessments, long-term projects and exceptional circumstances. Reasonable alternatives may be considered when missed activities cannot be repeated.
7. Special Circumstances and Appeals
For prolonged illness, chronic health conditions or other exceptional circumstances, the school may agree an individual attendance and learning support plan with the family.
Parents or guardians may appeal an attendance-related decision in writing to the Head Teacher within 10 school days of notification. The Deputy Head, the student's tutor and the Director will review the appeal, with a decision normally communicated within 15 school days of receipt.
This process does not affect any statutory rights or external review procedures.
8. Records, Confidentiality and Review
Attendance records will be maintained and used to monitor progress, communicate with families and identify students requiring support. Personal and medical information will be handled confidentially in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements.
This policy will remain in effect for two academic years, subject to earlier amendment, and will be reviewed at least annually and whenever required by changes in applicable legislation.
Date of adoption: __________________________
Next review date: __________________________
Approved by: ______________________________
Important legal point
Absenteeism among compulsory-school-age pupils in the Valencian Community
The key reference is the Generalitat Valenciana's Resolution of 29 September 2021, which establishes a protocol for preventing and responding to school absenteeism in publicly funded schools providing Primary Education, Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) and Basic Vocational Training.
ceice.gva.es
Under that protocol, absenteeism is assessed using unjustified absences as a percentage of scheduled attendance during a month, rather than simply counting five or ten absences in a school term.
Classification
Unjustified absences per month
Intermittent absenteeism
A recurring pattern below 15%
Mild absenteeism
15% to 25%
Serious absenteeism
25% to 50%
Chronic absenteeism
50% or more
The protocol identifies mild absenteeism as the point at which the school's intervention procedure should begin. Serious and chronic cases require more intensive coordinated action. These categories and procedures are set out in the Valencian protocol.
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