At South Dartmoor, we take college attendance very seriously and are committed to attempting to engage every child with the college environment and education. We consider ourselves a supportive and inclusive college and will try and make considerations for students who need extra support. We are, however, bound by law to ensure every student attends college.

Poor attendance can have a detrimental effect on progress. A student who has 90% attendance misses almost 4 weeks of the school year, which equates to over 100 hours of learning.

Why Attendance Matters

Regular attendance helps students to make good progress and enjoy learning. We take a whole college approach to maintaining excellent attendance; it is a joint responsibility of parents/carers, students and staff. Being at college is a very important part of any young person’s life. It enables them to learn and make friends, to gain important qualifications and to develop a variety of skills which will prepare them for adult life. College and parents/carers are partners in making this a success. As parents/carers, it is your responsibility to make sure that your child makes the most of this opportunity by ensuring a high level of attendance is maintained.

Attendance Policy

Click here to view the attendance policy

Reporting Absence

Attendance is checked on a daily basis. If a student is absent without a given reason, the college Attendance Team call the parent/carer using Absence Call. Parents/carers can inform the college of absence as follows: 

• Call the college on 01364 652230, select the option to report an absence and leave a message. 

• Call the college on 01364 655315 and speak to a member of the Attendance Team directly. 

• Email the college at: attendance@southdartmoor.devon.sch.uk Parents/carers should notify the college of the reason for an absence by 8:30 am.