Attendance
We want your child to achieve, to be happy and to feel they belong to our school community!
Students need to be in school 100% of the time to achieve 100% of their best. Just as important is the impact that poor attendance can have on your child’s self-esteem, their friendship groups and their relationships with staff.
A child with poor attendance will be likely to fall behind in their work, feel out of the loop with friends and it will be difficult for teachers to get to know and help them in the areas they need extra support.
Every day, every lesson, every moment of your child’s education is important.
Your Child’s Attendance – Attend 2 Achieve.
All parents want the best for their children and a good education is the surest means of ensuring that children have the best start in life. School equips them for succeeding both academically and socially so that they can achieve in their exams and learn how to make and manage relationships.
The more school children miss the harder it is to catch up. Statistics show that 90% of persistent absentees (those with attendance below 90%) fail to achieve 5 or more good GCSE grades, or equivalent.
Poor examination results limit young people’s options and poor attendance suggests to colleges and employers that these students are unreliable. Good school outcomes are the passport into higher education and better jobs. High attendance is highly important to allow our students to achieve their full potential.
With this in mind the attendance target for all students at Great Academy Ashton is a minimum of 96% and no more than 5 lates for the academic year. Take a look at the tips below to help keep your son/daughters attendance at our target level. Every Day Counts!
“Top Tips” for improving your son/daughter’s attendance.
- Start the day with enough time for your child to be ‘school ready’. Have breakfast, get dressed, and check they have everything in their school bag for the day ahead.
- Be prepared the night before. Make time to pack school bags, organise packed lunches, have uniforms at the ready, set the alarm clock and of course go to bed early!
- Support your child’s learning by helping with homework, reading together, encouraging thoughts and questions about the world and world events to challenge their development.
- Take an interest in your child’s school day. Ask about their favourite part of the day, their friends and encourage them to share something new they have learnt.
- Support your child to realise the value of education and how it will help them in the future.
- Good habits start early, having good attendance, being on time and organised is a fantastic lifetime value.
- Build a good relationship with school. Attend school events and parents’ evenings. Talk to the class teacher; schools value parents that are actively involved in their child’s future.
- Make sure you know the name of your child’s Form Tutor Head Of Year & Year Managers.
- DO NOT take holidays during term time – this is not an entitlement and missing valuable learning time can have a big impact on your child’s education.
- Make medical/dental appointments after school hours wherever possible.
- Avoid unnecessary absences such as keeping your child off school for minor illnesses/ailments. Keep school informed and ask to have work set to catch up with anything missed.
- Contact school if your child is worried about something which is causing him/her to be reluctant to attend school.
- Advise school of reasons for absence and likely return date as soon as possible on the first day of such absence and daily thereafter if necessary.
- Contact your son/daughters Head Of Year or Year Managers if you need help or advice regarding attendance issues.
Useful Links
Supporting Information
