Attendance | Penwortham Priory Academy

Regular attendance at school is the single most important factor in a child/children making appropriate progress and achieving success. Good, regular and punctual attendance means doing well academically, developing better relationships with other children and positive behaviour. It also sets up good habits for when young people enter into work and life.

Annually, prizes are announced for several categories to recognise consistently high attendance throughout the academic year. Many pupils achieve 100% attendance and names are drawn out of a hat during a full school assembly; the winner of each year group receive a prize. We also award five prizes for pupils who gained at least 97%.

Attendance & Family Support Manager, Mrs Swire, said: "We reward students by giving award points out every week to the form with the highest attendance. At the end of each term and half term various prizes are awarded to individual pupils during year group and full school assemblies.

"This year we are introducing another prize of a breakfast voucher which will be awarded throughout the year which I am sure will go down well!

“We do everything we can to encourage pupils to attend school on a regular basis as we know how important it is to their education. Students are more likely to succeed academically when they attend school punctually and consistently.”

So why is attendance so important? Here are the facts:

Good attendance means being in school at least 97% of the time or between 180 and 190 days.
90% attendance may sound good, but it is the same as missing half a day each week or four weeks off school each year. During five years at school this would add up to missing half a year.
A child on holiday for two weeks during term time will miss 50 one hour lessons.
There are 190 school days each year, that leaves 175 days not in school for holidays.
15 minutes late each day is the same as missing two weeks of school.

There is clear evidence of a link between poor attendance at school and low levels of achievement. For example, pupils who miss between 10% and 20% of school, only 35% manage to achieve five grade 9 to 4 GCSEs, including English and Maths.

At Priory we encourage parents to ensure their children are in school and on time. If you are struggling with your child's attendance please contact the school's Attendance Team in the first instance on 01772 320250 Option 1 or email attendance@priory.lancs.sch.uk

Here are some tried and tested tips to ensure good school attendance for your child:

Talk to your child about any concerns they have about returning to school.
Talk to your child about how important it is to attend school every day.
Help your child to get into a good routine, going to bed and getting up at set times. Ensuring uniform is ready and school bag packed and ready to go.
Show an interest in what your child has done at school each day and help them by encouraging them to complete homework on the night it is set etc.
If you think your child is trying to avoid school, try to find out why? Ask them, ask their friends, ask their teachers.
Unless avoidable, please do not arrange medical or dental appointments during school hours.
Talk to your child's teachers if you notice sudden changes in behaviour and any concerns you may have.
Remember that habits are formed early. It is much more difficult to get your child to school regularly if you have let them stay at home 'just this once'.

The Attendance Line (01772 320250 Option 1)

Did you know that the attendance line is not just for letting us know if your child is ill and therefore will not be in school.

Your child will be late for any reason
Your child has a medical appointment, either that day or at a later date
Updates on absence due to illness/hospital stays
Any other reason why your child may not be in school
You require a leave of absence request form

Please leave a message on the voicemail for the attendance team stating your name, contact number plus your child’s name, form, reason for absence and expected date of return (if known). Be assured these voicemails are picked up and the attendance team will only call you back if necessary.

Being Late

Please note that the school day starts at 08.40am. In accordance with Lancashire County Council guidelines, children who arrive in school after 08.40am without a genuine reason* will be marked as ‘late’ in the register. Pupils arriving late on two or more occasions in the same week will receive an after school detention and parents will be notified accordingly.

*Pupils delayed on school transport excepted

Sickness/Appointments

Parents must contact school on 01772 320250 Op 1 and leave a message if your child is unwell or has an appointment before school commences. Where possible please book a dental or medical appointment after school or in the holidays. If this is not possible, your child should attend school before and after the appointment and bring a note, signed by a parent, confirming where they have been.