Regular attendance at school is vital. Absence should be limited to the absolute minimum.

If your son or daughter is absent from school for any reason, please contact us on the first day of absence:

For years 7-11, telephone 01322 223039 ext. 106 or email: absence@dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk 

For Years 12 & 13, telephone 01322 223039 ext. 200 or email: sixthforminfo@dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk 

This should be followed by a letter of confirmation on the day that s/he returns to school.

Please report any cases of infectious diseases immediately. If a student is taken ill while at school, or has an accident, s/he must report to a member of staff. All medical appointments should be outside school hours whenever possible. Exemption from PE, other than for short periods, will require a medical certificate. If your son or daughter has to attend an appointment which cannot be made outside of the school day, please give sufficient notice to the Form Tutor in order that Reception can be informed.  Please note that any student leaving school during the day must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Taking time off school for holidays is very strongly discouraged and will be regarded as unauthorised absence.

Every day and every lesson counts

The attendance rates at Dartford Grammar School are consistently very high with the only significant cause of avoidable absence being holidays in term time when a very small number of students are disadvantaged by missing vital lessons. As a result of this the school will no longer approve requests for holidays in term time except in the most exceptional circumstances. I am afraid this does not include reasons such as the cost of the holiday or extended breaks around Christmas or Easter to visit relatives on the other side of the world.

We no longer use a holiday request form as this may give the impression that the school is prepared to authorise a term time holiday request. It is important to stress that parents have no statutory right to remove a child from school during term time, for the purpose of a holiday.  It is now illegal for schools to authorise holiday absence requests.

There will still be a form available from the school office to cover parental requests for absence for supervised educational or representative activities.

If there are truly exceptional circumstances parents will need to write to the Headteacher outlining why an exception should be made in their case. Clearly this needs to be before any holiday arrangements are booked. We all need and enjoy holidays, however we must work together to ensure that these do not impact on our children’s learning or the work of the school. We truly believe that “Every Child Matters” and to enable them to receive the best possible education “Every Day and Every Lesson Counts”.