Raise Your Child’s Attendance, -Raise their Chances! What does “Good attendance” mean?

? Do you know what your child's attendance is? Do you know what it means? ?

This is Simon. He is in Year 6 and has 90% attendance. Is that good? What does this mean?

Simon thinks this is pretty good, so do his parents. Are they right? 90% attendance = ½ day missed every week!! (Would your boss like you to be off work this much??). That’s practically part time! Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri ? Absent half a day every week

Let’s looks a little closer….. 1 school year at 90% attendance = 4 whole weeks of lessons MISSED!!! 38 school weeks Sept July ? Absent for 4 weeks

90% attendance over 5 years of primary school…. = ½ a school year missed! Sept July Y2 Y3 Y4 ½ a year absent from school Y5 Y6

What impact might this have on Simon’s life……? Research suggests that 17 missed school days a year = a NC sub level DROP in achievement, and later, at high school, a GCSE grade DROP. (DfES) The greater the attendance the greater the achievement.

What could Simon’s potential earnings look like? Graduate degree £15.01 per hour A levels £10.25 per hour GCSE’s £9.02 per hour. no qualifications £7.44 per hour. Potential Earnings average per hour Qualifications What do you want for your child?

So 90% is not as good as it first seemed. What can do as a parent to increase my child's attendance? I

Why absences harm your child The very few children who do not make expected levels of progress are invariably the children with high absence rates. Children find it very hard to catch up on missed learning and can miss important lessons which build the foundations of learning in days and weeks to come. Friendship groups can change while your child is away.

Regular attenders find school routines and school work easier to cope with – they are not missing any information. Parents who send their children to school regularly are showing their children that they value school and their learning. Children with poor attendance will be contacted by the Educational Social Worker who will create an Attendance Agreement. It is the law that your child should attend school every day unless they are ill.

Ways for parents to encourage attendance: Remind your child that they will get a certificate every half term if they come to school every day. They will receive a medal for 100% attendance the whole year. Talk regularly with your child about school and how they feel about it. Teach them the value of coming to school and learning.

Phone us as soon as possible to tell us why your child is absent, and when you expect them to return. Putting the school number in your phone can save you time. Only grant days at home for genuine illness. (you will know!!). If in doubt, it’s better to send your child in – we can call you if they need to go home. Often children feel much better as the day progresses.

Do not book holidays during term time. Check the school website for holiday dates and ensure your return flights are in time for the new term. We will want to see copies of your tickets if children are late back. We are asked to warn you that unauthorised absence due to holidays are liable to a fixed penalty fine of up to £240 per child. Arrange family events and holidays during our school holiday.

Make dental and medical appointments for after school or during the holidays. We will ask for evidence of your medical appointment. Remember that we expect all children to reach their attendance target of 96.5%

If there are urgent reasons why your child cannot attend school, make an appointment to see the Head Teacher before you make firm arrangements. If you need to be away, try and make alternative arrangements for your child, e.g. ask a relative to stay with the family and bring them to school. Talk to us to resolve issues. We may be able to help and support you and your child. You are not alone.

Attend and Achieve! If a school can improve attendance by 1%, they will see a 5-6% improvement in attainment. (Department for Education and Skills) Please help us and your child by ensuring their attendance remains above 96.5%, allowing them to achieve their potential.