Everyday Counts and Matters
To report your child absent due to illness, please use the form here.
Children are required to attend school for 190 days each year. We are constantly striving to provide your child with the best possible opportunities for achieving a high level of academic and personal success. Please support us and your child to achieve their maximum potential by continuing to ensure they attend school every day on time. Where possible, please arrange dental and doctors appointments out of school hours or during school holidays.
EVERY DAY COUNTS - ‘The odd day off doesn’t hurt does it?’
YES IT DOES - Attendance percentages as missed days and lessons
|
Attendance during one year |
Equal Numbers of days absent |
Approximate number of weeks |
Approximate number of lessons |
Absence during 7 years of primary education |
|
97% |
5 |
1 |
20 |
7 weeks - half a term |
|
95% |
10 |
2 |
40 |
14 weeks - a full term |
|
90% |
20 |
4 |
80 |
28 weeks- two full terms or two thirds of a year |
|
80% |
40 |
8 |
160 |
56 weeks - a year and a half of education |
At Woodmansterne our target is 97% attendance for all our children and we are constantly striving to achieve this. Attendance will continue to have a very high profile and parents will be regularly reminded in newsletters and meetings about the importance of good attendance.
Why it is important for children not to miss school
Most parents want their children to get on well in life. Nowadays, it is more important than ever to have a good education behind you if you want opportunities in adult life. Children only get one chance at school and your child’s chances of a successful future may be affected by not attending school. If children do not attend school regularly, they may:
- Struggle to keep up with school work. In a busy school day it is difficult for schools to find the extra time to help a child catch up.
- Miss out on the social side of school life. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships: a vital part of growing up.
- Setting good attendance patterns from an early age will also help your child later on. Employers want to recruit people who are reliable, so children who have a poor school attendance record may have less chance of getting a good job. Being on time is also vital. Arriving late at school can be very disruptive for your child, the teacher, and the other children in the class.
What might the impact of poor attendance be on your child?
Research has shown that children who are not in school are most vulnerable and are easily drawn into crime. Those children who play truant are more likely to offend than those that do not. Research also shows that:
- Less than 40% of pupils in secondary schools with an average of 17 days or more absence get 5 good National 5 Awards (Grade 9 to 5) compared to more than 90% in schools with an average of less than 8 days’ absence.