Our school has always seen attendance as important: the first sentence on the first page of the school’s first log book (dated 1873) starts, “Ordinary attendance throughout the week”. Within four weeks the log says, “the attendance has increased”!  So, attendance has always mattered.

Good attendance at Primary really is still crucial.  If you were asked ‘at what age is learning most crucial for a child?’ Your answer would most likely, and rightly be, when they are younger.  Yet, we’ve had parents tell us that they are going to take their child on holiday before they get to the comp’! Crazy!!

We do our utmost to show pupils how we value good attendance – class competitions are always on!  You’ll be kept up to date through the newsletters on which class is winning.  We know there is a clear correlation between good attendance and good outcomes.

The lowest performing students around the world miss more school than their academically successful schoolmates.

If getting to school is difficult in the morning then click the link below to go to our ‘Wellbeing’ Page, you’ll find 10 useful tips.

5 quick facts on attendance

1. School attendance is critical to student’s academic success but more importantly research shows that low performance at school, generally leads to a more difficult life with less access to good jobs.
2. School absenteeism from a young age has significant negative consequences that can last a lifetime.
3. Research indicates that absenteeism in Reception (even though pupils don’t legally have to be in school until they are 5!) is associated with negative outcomes, such as; greater absenteeism in the future, as well as, lower student achievement in maths, reading and general knowledge.
4. Any student who misses a school day misses an opportunity to learn.

When ESTYN inspect the school attendance is a key area, they look at how well the school tracks and monitors the progress and wellbeing of pupils, including attendance and behaviour.