CONGRATULATIONS TO YEAR 3DH WITH THE BEST ATTENDANCE LAST WEEK AT 98.5%
ATTENDANCE NEWSLETTERS
Attendance Matters at Blueberry Park
At Blueberry Park, we aim to ensure that all children receive an education that maximises opportunities for each pupil to realise their full potential. Our target for attendance is 97% and above.
Our school will strive to provide a welcoming, caring environment, whereby each member of the school community feels valued and supported.
School staff will work with pupils and their families to ensure each pupil attends school regularly and punctually.
Attendance & Punctuality Policy
REMEMBER: EVERY SCHOOL DAY COUNTS!
The main reason children are absent from school is due to illness. Keeping healthy so your child is able to attend school more regularly is an important part of your child’s life. Parents can also help by ensuring their children stay healthy by taking regular exercise, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet.
Good Common Sense
Use good common sense when deciding whether your child needs to stay at home. Work on the basis that sick children belong at home and well children belong in school. Please remember that early morning aches and pains often pass, so don’t keep your child at home ‘just in case’ when they could be learning in class.
Good Attendance
Having a good education will help to give your child the best possible start in life. We believe that children who do not attend school regularly are more likely to:-
- Fall behind in their school work
- Find it difficult to make and keep friends
- Be unhappy at school
- Become involved in antisocial behaviour
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.
What is Good Attendance?
The Government’s target for school attendance is 97% and above. This is also the target for Blueberry Park. You may think that 90% attendance is good, however imagine….
Jane is in Year 1 and her attendance is 90%.
This means that Jane is absent from school the equivalent of one half day every week.
At the end of Year 1, that would be the equivalent of 4 whole weeks absent from school.
If Jane continues to attend for only 90% of the time and in her 6 years in primary school she will miss over half a year of school.
Now do you think 90% attendance good enough?
What can parents do to help?
Ensure your child attends school every day and on time.
If your child is not well enough to attend contact the school on the first day of absence.
Try to make dental and medical appointments outside of school time or at weekends.
Take family holidays during the school holiday.
We are unable to authorise term time holidays.
Try to attend parents evenings and school events.
Talk to your child about school and take an interest in the work that they are doing.
Contact your child’s school immediately if you have any concerns about their progress or welfare.
