Attendance

The Positive Impact of Excellent Attendance at St Michael’s C of E Primary School

At St Michael’s, we are proud of our high attendance and the shared commitment between school and families to support every child’s full engagement in school life. Regular attendance and punctuality are vital, not only for academic progress, but also for children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence, and relationships.

Why Attendance Matters

Children who attend school every day and arrive on time benefit in the following ways:

Building Good Habits

Consistent routines help children feel secure. Attending every day teaches the habit of showing up, which builds resilience, responsibility and readiness for life beyond primary school.

Stronger Friendships and Relationships

Being in school daily helps children form and maintain meaningful friendships. They develop strong relationships with staff and peers, feel part of the community, and gain valuable social and emotional learning experiences.

Higher Self-Esteem

When children are in school regularly and arrive on time, they feel included and confident. They know what’s happening, feel part of the group, and are more likely to participate and succeed.

Better Learning and Progress

Each lesson is part of a carefully sequenced curriculum. Missing days can lead to gaps in knowledge and a feeling of being left behind. Regular attendance allows children to build on what they’ve learnt and make strong progress.

Understanding Attendance

Attendance Rate	What It Means	Impact
98–100%	Excellent	Strong learning and development, supports high achievement, and promotes a positive work ethic.
96–97%	Good	In line with national expectations. Children can access the curriculum well but should aim for even better.
91–95%	Cause for Concern	Below the national average. Risk of falling behind academically and socially.
Below 90%	Persistent Absence (PA)	Serious concern. Affects learning, wellbeing, and relationships. Schools will offer support and take action to improve this.

Did you know? 90% attendance means missing one half-day each week—almost four full weeks a year.

Supporting Good Attendance

We understand that absences sometimes can’t be avoided. Our aim is always to work in partnership with families to provide help early and reduce any emotional or practical barriers to attending school regularly.

Illness

Please contact the school office by 9:00am on the first day of absence. If your child is well enough, they should attend school. We’ll always call home if we feel a child is not well enough to remain in school.

Medical Appointments

Appointments should be arranged outside of school hours where possible. If unavoidable, please let us know in advance.

Holidays in Term Time

Holidays during term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. Requests are considered individually, with current attendance taken into account. No holidays will be authorised during statutory testing (10th–17th May), or in the weeks leading up to it.

Religious Observance

Up to 3 days per academic year may be authorised for religious observance. Please inform the school in advance of any planned absence.

Working Together

We know that school attendance can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when children experience anxiety or reluctance to attend. We are here to listen and support. Early intervention is key, and we work with families using a relationship-based, non-judgemental approach that reflects current research into Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA).

Please speak to us if:

Your child seems worried about coming to school
You are finding it hard to maintain regular routines
You would like help accessing further support for your child’s wellbeing

Together, we can make sure every child has the best chance to flourish.