Unsworth Academy’s individual target for attendance is 100% Government minimum expectations for attendance is 95%.
The school expects all our pupils to attend all day every day, achieving 100% attendance. Should you child’s attendance drop to 95% attendance in one school year, your child will miss 9 school days and at least 45 hours worth of lessons. Recent research shows there is a positive correlation between attendance and achievement so 95% equates to dropping at least half a GCSE grade. 90% attendance equates to 19 days lost, at least 95 hours worth of lessons and a drop by at least one whole GCSE grade.
Please keep checking your child’s termly report on which their current attendance is shown . If your child has medical appointments try, whenever possible to attend mid morning clinics so your child can attend the am reg and then return to school and gain their afternoon mark, therefore not affecting their attendance.
Use the chart below to keep track of your child’s overall percentage. Attendance % for a year Days absent Hours of lessons missed.
| Attendance % for a year | Days absent | Hours of lessons missed |
|---|---|---|
| 95% | 9 | 45 |
| 90% | 19 | 95 |
| 85% | 29 | 145 |
| 80% | 38 | 190 |
Parental support for school attendance
To ensure my child’s attendance remains over 97%, I will:
- Make sure my child understands why attendance is important.
- Prepare anything my child needs for school so that they can leave for school on time.
- Try to avoid any leave of absence in term time.
- Make sure my child is in bed at a reasonable time and the alarm clock is set early enough to arrive at school on time.
- Contact the school if ever my child can genuinely not attend.
- Send my child to school even with mild illnesses, but will ask for a check on progress throughout the day.
- Always try to arrange set medical and dental appointments for weekdays after school.
- Find a relative, friend or neighbour who can take my child to school if I can’t make it or if he/she missed the bus.
- Support my child to find out how he/she can make up missed schoolwork, if my child has been absent.
- Never prevent my child from attending school unless there is a valid reason.
- Notify school if I feel my child is struggling with any subject, staff member or has difficulties with other learners.
If my child has previously had attendance difficulties:
- Ask for help from school if I think my child may be truanting or appears to be having difficulties that may stop him/her attending.
- Ask for help from school if I am having difficulties which mean my child is not responding to requests to help him/her attend school on time.
