How to encourage good school attendance
What is good attendance?
Good attendance is attending every day that the school is open. This is essential for pupils to get the most out of their school experience, including their attainment, wellbeing, and wider life chances.
Ensuring consistent attendance is vital for your child's academic success and overall development. While 90% attendance may seem high, it translates to missing approximately one day of school every two weeks. Over time, these absences can accumulate, leading to significant gaps in learning and hindering your child's ability to keep up with their classmates.
Regular school attendance not only impacts academic achievement, but also plays a crucial role in social and emotional growth, as it fosters connections with teachers and classmates. By striving for higher attendance rates, you're providing your child with the best opportunity to succeed academically and thrive in their educational journey. Let's work together to support your child's consistent attendance and set them up for a bright future.
The pupils with the highest attainment at the end of key stage 2 and key stage 4 have higher rates of attendance over the key stage compared to those with the lowest attainment.
Reasons why a child's attendance may drop
There are lots of reasons a child's school attendance may drop.
These include:
- Accidents, illnesses or medical conditions
- School refusal (that is, a child refusing to go to school)
- Truancy (that is, a child skipping school or classes)
- Taking your child on holiday during term time
- Difficulties at home, such as a child caring for a family member
If your child has an accident, illness or medical condition, contact the school as soon as you can, to tell them what's happened and update them regularly. Read the Is my child too ill for school NHS advice to help you decide whether they can go to school.
If your child is not well enough to attend school, but could do learning at home or remotely, ask your school how you can support your child's education during this time.
But if there are no medical reasons for your child missing school, you should take action to get them back in the classroom.
Set an example
How you talk about school and attendance is important.
Be mindful. Don't say negative things about school. Be clear that school is an important part of everyday life. One simple way you can reinforce this is to tell your children that it's 'time to get up for school’ on weekdays, not just 'time to get up'.
Tips to encourage good school attendance
- Ensure your child attends every day the school is open except when a statutory reason applies
- Show your child that you think school attendance is important
- Make sure you know what time the school day starts and ensure your child arrives at school on time. Arriving late can be embarrassing for your child and disruptive to the class, especially if lessons have started. Your child may miss important information which is often given at the start of the day
- Encourage good habits such as going to bed on time, reading before bed, regular bedtimes
- Encourage your child to get everything ready for school the night before
- Attend parent evenings to discuss your child's progress
- Make appointments for dentist or doctor after school hours or in school holidays where possible and make sure children return to school after an appointment if it has to be in school time
- Do not take your child on holiday during term time
- Always let the school know when your child is off school through illness and when they can expect them back
- Work with your school and Herefordshire Council to help them understand if there are barriers to your child's attendance
- Proactively engage with any formal support offered - including any parenting contract or voluntary early help plan to prevent the need for legal intervention
Parenting support
Parenting can be challenging. If you're facing challenges with your child's attendance, know that you're not alone.
Parenting support is available to help you navigate any obstacles and create a supportive environment for your child's education. Whether it's addressing underlying issues, establishing effective routines, or accessing resources to overcome barriers, seeking support can make a significant difference.
Remember, by prioritising your child's attendance, you're investing in their future success and helping them build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
We have a range of services that can support you. Get in touch with our friendly and professional Children's Help and Advice Team who will listen to your worries and offer advice to support your needs. You can also attend our free face-to-face parenting support courses or sign up to our free online parenting courses.