Dear Parents and Carers,
Re: Attendance Reminders and Importance of Attendance up to May Half Term
As I write to you today, with only six school days left of this half term, I am asking for your support to ensure the full attendance of your child at school until the very end of this half term, which finishes at 3.05pm on Friday 24th May.
The UK Government and Department for Education (DfE) continue to hold attendance at school one of their highest priorities to improve, given the clear correlation between high attendance and high achievement and outcomes – every day and lesson count.
You may have seen in the news recently that attendance at school remains a national concern, in particular worrying figures surrounding;
- Attendance on Fridays
- Holidays being taken in term time
- Students who continue to be persistently absent (below 90% attendance)
The DfE ask all schools to monitor the attendance of all students closely and to intervene and take action where necessary, in order to support improvement.
I am pleased to say, that our attendance over the course of this academic year has continued to be significantly higher than the national average and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and contribution towards the excellent attendance of the vast majority of our students over the academic year to date. This will in turn lead to improved outcomes and life chances for our students.
Here at Workington Academy, we take great pride in ensuring the high attendance of our students, to ensure that they have the opportunity to achieve the very best outcomes. Our well-planned and highly effective curriculum ensures that every lesson adds value and therefore missing just one lesson can have a detrimental impact on your child’s progress. Every day of absence, including that on a Friday and the last day before a school holiday equates to 5 hours of valuable learning missed.
We are aware that at this time of year, there are still some illnesses around, meaning that some students may not be feeling 100%. However, we do ask that unless they are really too ill to come to school or told specifically by a Medical Professional not to attend, that attendance at school is prioritised. Our staff here at the academy will always take care of your child in school and can make adjustments for them, if they are not feeling their best. By being in school they will still access some learning.
On Friday 24th May, we will also be celebrating the achievements of all students throughout this Half Term, with a range of certificates and prizes being awarded and a rewards ‘Wheel of Wonder Spin’ taking place in recognition of their successes in an array of areas throughout this term. These are fantastic occasions and a chance for your child and yourselves to be proud of their achievements and we would like all of our students to experience this.
As a reminder, it is essential that if your child is going to be absent from school for any reason that you make contact with us before 8.30am, via our absence line and make contact on every day of absence. Please also note that all medical and dentist appointments should not be made during school hours unless it is an emergency. Absences for appointments will remain unauthorised until evidence is provided. Our usual attendance, contact and home visit procedures will continue to be applied.
Thank you for your support.
Yours faithfully
Mr Mark Bedford
Headteacher
