Attendance
Every moment counts – every minute matters
Why attendance matters
We know that pupils who are frequently absent from school fall behind. We have a meticulously planned curriculum which sets out exactly what pupils should be taught at every stage of the year. When pupils are absent, they risk developing large gaps in their learning. This negatively impacts on their progress. Absence can also affect their social interactions with their peers and may impact upon their friendships
All pupils are expected to attend school every day that the school is open and for the full day. Our ideal is for our pupils to have the highest possible attendance to get the most from school so that they are well prepared for their next steps in education, training or employment.
Our Trust and school target for pupils’ attendance is 97%
Attendance that falls below this needs to improve because it risks having a negative impact on the pupil, including how well they learn the school’s curriculum and how well they build secure and lasting friendships. As an example, a pupil with 94% attendance will miss nearly two and a half weeks of school each year. That is the equivalent of missing more than 60 lessons.
Attendance lower than 90% is very concerning and means that the pupil meets the Department for Education’s (DfE) criteria as persistently absent. This level of attendance means that a pupil is absent for nearly four weeks of school each year. That could be up to 100 lessons missed.
Attendance lower than 50% is considered by the DfE to be ‘severe absence’. This means that a pupil may be missing more than 19 weeks of school each year. That equates to around 500 lessons missed.
Regular school attendance is a major factor in ensuring that pupils are safe, successful and developing socially, emotionally and spiritually. By regularly attending, pupils are prepared for the future.
BWCET Attendance Policy Sept 2024