Attendance
Excellent attendance and punctuality is key to children making progress at school so that they meet expected attainment levels and can achieve their full potential. Missing lessons leaves children vulnerable to falling behind.
Children attending school every day:
- make better progress, both socially and academically
- find routines, school work and friendships easier to manage
- find learning more satisfying
- are more likely to progress to further and higher education
Pupils attend school for a maximum of 190 days each academic year and parents have a legal duty to ensure that their children get a full-time education. Full attendance is vital for every child’s educational progress. Government research shows a clear correlation between excellent attendance at school and higher attainment outcomes in all phases of education. Please see Bradford Council School Attendance for Parents and Carers for further information.
At Menston Primary School, our target for every child is to achieve at least 97% attendance. This means that children should be absent from school for no more than 5 days in any academic year. We are committed to working with families to ensure excellent attendance for all children.
If you have an issue with getting your child to school, you don’t have to struggle alone. Please ring the school office on 01943 873180 to speak to our Parental Involvement Worker, Mrs Smitheringale.
Support that we can offer includes:
- visiting you at home or making time to see you at school
- talking to you about any problems that may be making it difficult for your child to attend school
- helping you to deal with the difficulties which stop your child from going to school regularly
- putting you in touch with other services, if you need more advice or support
- we may work with you to complete an Early Help Assessment
Tips for good attendance
- talk to your child about the importance of going to school every day
- take an interest in their school work, including helping with homework and attending parents’ evenings. If they know it matters to you it will matter to them
- have set times for going to bed and waking up so your child gets plenty of sleep and is up in good time to get to school on time
- stop using electronic devices one hour before bedtime
- have clothes and school bag ready the night before
- only let your child stay home if they are genuinely ill
- if your child doesn’t want to go to school, find out why and work with your school and child to try to sort out the problem.
- celebrate your child’s achievements at school and their good attendance
- try to book doctor, dentist, and other appointments outside school hours
- book holidays in the school holidays, not term time
- if you need help, ask for it. Speak to our school or contact Bradford Council’s Safeguarding Education team on attendance@bradford.gov.uk
