Promoting Good Attendance

As you will be aware, children’s good attendance at school is crucial to ensure they reach their full potential. 

Attending school is hugely important. All parents/carers have a legal responsibility to ensure their child regularly attends school.

After carrying out significant research, the Welsh Government is placing strong emphasis on improving attendance levels in all schools. The research carried out clearly shows that the more regularly a child attends school, the more they will learn and achieve. The Welsh Government challenges all pupils to attend for at least 97% of the school year. This would mean that they have no more than 6 days off from school each year.

At High Cross Primary we are committed to providing your child with the best possible education and ensuring they achieve to the best of their ability. Please support us with this by making sure your child attends school on time and every day whenever possible. We appreciate that there may be reasons behind low attendance such as authorised holidays or medical appointments and illnesses which will be taken into account.

Punctuality
Closely linked to attendance, is the importance of punctuality. It is really important that children arrive in school, on time. This has an enormous affect on their wellbeing, as they are able to arrive alongside their peers and also serves to develop good habits for later in life. As with attendance, even missing small portions of the school day quickly builds into a more significant amount.

• 5 minutes late every day equates to 3 days lost per year
• 10 minutes late every day equates to 6 days lost per year
• 15 minutes late every day equates to 10 days lost per year
• 20 minutes late every day equates to 13 days lost per year
• 30 minutes late every day equates to 19 days lost per year