Attendance

The Importance of Good School Attendance

At St Swithun Wells Catholic Primary School, we believe that every school day matters. Regular attendance gives children the best opportunity to learn, develop friendships, take part in the life of our school and grow in confidence. Being in school every day helps children to build positive routines, feel a strong sense of belonging and make the most of the many opportunities available to them.

The Department for Education (DfE) makes clear that “attendance is everybody’s business.” Good attendance is not simply about being present in lessons; it is about ensuring that children are able to access their education, maintain relationships with their friends and teachers, and benefit from the wider experiences that school provides. The DfE describes regular attendance as an important protective factor for children and young people and recognises its importance for learning, wellbeing and wider development.

Every Day Counts

It can be easy to underestimate the impact of missing the occasional day of school, particularly when children are young. However, small amounts of absence can quickly add up.

There are 190 school days in a typical school year. If a child attends school for 90% of the year, they will have missed 19 days – almost four weeks of school. The Department for Education describes this in practical terms as approximately one day missed every fortnight.

For a child in primary school, those missed days can mean missing phonics or reading sessions, new mathematical concepts, opportunities to practise writing, time with friends, class discussions, assemblies, worship, trips and the many experiences that make up school life.

This is why every day matters. Good attendance helps children to develop strong learning routines, maintain friendships, feel a sense of belonging and make steady progress. Our aim is to work together with families to ensure that children attend regularly and are supported to overcome any barriers that may make attendance difficult.

Attendance and Wellbeing

School is about much more than academic learning. Each day provides opportunities for children to play, learn, build friendships, develop independence and receive support from trusted adults. Regular attendance helps children to remain connected to their school community and maintain a consistent routine.

As a Catholic school, we recognise that we are called to care for one another, pray together and support each other. Being part of our school community means sharing in our daily worship, prayer and opportunities to grow in faith alongside our friends. When children are in school regularly, they are able to experience the sense of belonging that comes from learning, praying and growing together as a community.

We also recognise that children may sometimes experience difficulties which make attending school challenging. We will listen, seek to understand the barriers a child or family may be experiencing and work together to provide appropriate support. We want every child to know that they are valued, cared for and supported, and that they do not have to face difficulties alone.

Our Catholic mission reminds us that “as disciples of Jesus, we grow in friendship and in our love of learning and we seek to care for others.” Regular attendance helps children to live out this mission each day – growing in friendship, learning together and caring for one another as part of our school family.

Our Shared Responsibility

Good attendance is a partnership between children, families and school. We ask parents and carers to make school attendance a priority and to help their children develop the routines and habits that support regular attendance.

At St Swithun Wells, we will continue to monitor attendance carefully, celebrate the importance of being in school and provide support where barriers to attendance arise. We firmly believe that every minute counts and every day in school is an opportunity for a child to learn, grow, belong and flourish.