Attendance

What is Excellent Attendance?

Where appropriate, we will always encourage our children and young people to aim for 100% attendance. However, we appreciate that for some, this is not always possible due to circumstances beyond their control.

Excellent attendance means that a child or young person never misses a day of school without an exceptionally good and authorised reason.

Our schools will:

• Recognise and celebrate those with 100% attendance
• Also recognise and celebrate those with improving and excellent attendance, especially those achieving this in challenging circumstances

Excellent attendance will look different for different children and young people. Attendance targets should always consider individual needs.

Promoting Good Attendance and Punctuality

All THPT schools will promote a culture of excellent attendance where all stakeholders understand their role in supporting it.

The links between attendance, progress, and attainment will be made clear at every opportunity.

Schools will take a proactive approach to managing attendance. This includes:

• Developing a whole-school culture where excellent attendance and punctuality are valued, celebrated, and promoted
• Celebrating consistently good and improved attendance and punctuality
• Ensuring key messages and strategies for contributing positively to attendance are addressed in meetings and INSET throughout the year
• Ensuring attendance is regularly discussed at SLT and Pastoral Leadership meetings
• Maintaining high expectations – offering support while also challenging reasons for absence that fall below acceptable thresholds
• Ensuring all stakeholders understand:
  • The benefits of attending school
  • The opportunities lost through poor attendance
• Ensuring stakeholders know their responsibilities and where to seek support if needed
• Putting early interventions in place to support improved attendance
• Promoting a positive approach, where punitive measures (such as fines) are used only as a last resort

To find out more, please view our Attendance Policy on our Policies page.