Attendance

Good attendance is directly related to a child’s enjoyment and achievement at school and is vital to promote successful learning.

We strive to provide a welcoming and caring environment where all members of our school community feel wanted and secure.

All staff take responsibility for welcoming pupils into school and into the classroom every day.

Persistent or long-term absence has a negative impact on all areas of school life, not just academic achievement but also on the development of key skills and friendships. Interrupted attendance makes teaching and learning difficult for all pupils and can limit pupil achievements. At Wychall Primary School, we place a high value on maintaining high levels of attendance. We work closely with parents and carers to make this happen for every pupil.

We expect all pupils to be at school, on time, unless the reason for absence is unavoidable. However, we will question parents where we believe low priority is given to attendance and punctuality.

We understand that pupils are sometimes reluctant to attend school and that the reasons for this are varied and may be complex. We aim to resolve any problems with regular attendance by making early contact with parents and offering support including referral to our Support Services. Where children are anxious about coming to school, we can offer practical support and help to develop strategies to manage anxiety and encourage excitement about coming to school.

Our overall aim is to promote a whole community approach to improving attendance and punctuality. We believe this will help us to:

  • make sure pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school
  • improve the overall percentage of children at school
  • make attendance and punctuality a priority for the whole school community, including parents, staff and children
  • provide support advice and guidance to parents and children
  • develop a systematic approach to gathering and analysis of attendance data
  • develop and maintain positive communication between home and school
  • establish a system of rewards and incentives
  • work together with the School Attendance Service and other services or agencies
  • recognise individual needs of children who have been absent for a prolonged period and who are returning to school.

Get in touch to find out more about our School