Moments Matter, Attendance Counts

Improving school attendance is everyone’s business, and to support this challenge, the Department for Education launched a new attendance campaign in January 2024 with the tagline “Moments Matter, Attendance Counts”.

As you know, attendance to school is a key priority for us here at St Anne’s and we wanted to use the launch of this national campaign to remind parents and carers of the importance of attending school regularly: because from the

first day of term to the last, every lesson, and each moment, big or small, makes a big difference to a child’s learning and wellbeing as described in the campaign manifesto below:

Moments Matter, Attendance Counts manifesto

“That moment they found a new best friend queuing up for pudding.

That time fractions suddenly clicked.

That day cavemen came to live in the playground.

That science lesson when a mento and cola ‘rocket’ sprayed everywhere.

Breaking a school record on sports day.

When they helped catch the escaped rabbit.

Helping to build props for the school play.

When they baked cupcakes that were actually edible (just).

Performing that encore at the school concert.

From the first day of term to the last, each moment, big or small, makes a

big difference to a child’s wellbeing.

Positive, real, life-changing moments.

And in a school year there are hundreds of them.

What a difference a school day makes.”

This manifesto underlines the importance of attending school and we want to make the Spring term, and the start of every half-term or term thereafter, a fresh start for everyone – every day and every new week is a new opportunity for students to attend school every day and

achieve 100% in order for them to maximise their learning.

Children who are absent from school are missing out and here are three top facts to know and share:

1. The link between regular attendance to school and attainment is clear:

In 2018/19 just 36% of children who were persistently absent (attendance below 90%) in Y10 and Y11 got grade 9 to 4 in their English and maths GCSEs, compared to 85% of children who attended school regularly (attendance above 90%).

2. It is never too late to benefit from good attendance to school:

More than half (54%) of children who were persistently absent (attendance below 90%) in Year 10 who then went on to be rarely absent in Y11, passed at least 5 GCSEs, compared to just 36% of children who were persistently absent and attended school less than 90% in both Y10 and Y11.

3. Regular attendance to school is important for more than just attainment:

Attending school regularly (attendance above 90%) can facilitate positive peer relationships, which is a protective factor for mental health and wellbeing.

As such, we hope that parents and carers whose children are taking casual, preventable odd days of absence, or ‘avoidable absence’ for no good reason, will embrace the spirit of the government’s campaign and support both school and their children by ensuring that these children attend school more regularly.

This means every day from now on, unless there is a valid, authorised reason not to.

We know and appreciate that a small number of children face greater barriers to attendance, such as those with long term medical needs or special educational needs and disabilities and we will continue to work with these individual children and families to overcome these barriers.

Please remember that you can check your child/rens attendance rate regularly using your free EduLink parent portal. To discuss attendance matters you can contact school by telephone: 0161 643 264; by email: [email protected] or by EduLink messenger. Miss Kenny, Attendance Officer, [email protected] or your child/rens Pastoral Year Leader, will normally be the most appropriate staff to speak to in the first instance.