Why is good attendance important?
Good attendance and punctuality are vital for success at school, and to establish positive life habits that are necessary for future success.
Through regular attendance, pupils can:
- Build friendships and develop social groups.
- Develop life skills.
- Engage in essential learning and other school social events.
- Achieve to their full potential.
- Minimise the risk of engaging in anti-social behaviour and becoming victims or perpetrators of crime.
- Make sure your child understands that you do not approve of absence from school.
- Support our school in our efforts to control inappropriate behaviour.
- Inform us on the first day of your child’s absence, and keep us updated throughout the absence period.
- Provide us with more than one emergency contact for your child, to ensure that if we receive no response from one number, we can try the others that you have provided.
- Cooperate with our school to make sure your child overcomes any attendance problems.
- Discuss planned absences with the headteacher and apply for permission well in advance.
- Only take your child out of school during term time where the absence has been authorised.
Don’t underestimate the importance of 100 percent attendance. Even one day missed
can have an effect on learning:
- 98% attendance means 4 school days missed
- 95% attendance means 10 school days missed
- 90% attendance means 19 school days missed
- 80% attendance means 38 school days missed
- Five minutes late each day means three school days missed!