Attendance Matters

Attendance- Why it matters? Let you child be the best that they can, and 'Let Their Light Shine.' Excellent attendance at school is important to allow your child to fulfil their potential and for them to have the best possible start in life. Here at The Whitley, our aim is to work with families to support the best possible attendance of children at school. Going to school every day gives your child enormous benefits and advantages, ensuring that they learn to read, make excellent progress in their learning, supports them to develop friendships and not miss out on educational or social experiences. Please read our parent booklet below to see how we can all work together. To contact our Attendance Officer, Mrs Stephenson, please call on 01670822994 or send an email to admin@whitley.northumberland.sch.uk

Is My Child too Ill for School? Guidance https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

Attendance Policy 24-45

Attendance Matters- A Parent's Guide

Working together to improve school attendance- Parents' Responsibilities (DFE)

Definition of Regular Attendance from the Department for Education

‘Working together to improve school attendance’:

Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school.

Pupil Voice:

Why it is important to attend school as much as possible?

So we have a successful life
It is more likely that you will have a good career
To learn new things
To get a good education
To get a great job
To not miss out
To learn how to get on with others
To make good friends

2. What do you like about coming to school?

To have a challenge
Learning lots of different subjects
To see friends and wider family eg cousins
To have fun
Having breakfast
To see my teachers
To get exercise

3. Why getting to school on time is important?

If you are late you miss part of a lesson and you don’t know what you are doing and that means that you won’t learn
In case you miss something important
To be organised/ not rush about
So that you can go into school with your friends
So you have a good attendance report