Every Day Counts – Why Attendance Matters

At Hales Valley Trust, we recognise the importance of great attendance. Every day your child attends school, they have the opportunity to learn the carefully planned curriculum we have set out for them. When children miss school, they miss out on essential learning, friendships, and routines that help them thrive.

We have thought about how the curriculum is like a box set you might watch on the television. Watch the video below and see how missing a single day can affect how you understand a sequence of learning…

Why does attendance matter so much?

- Pupils with 95–100% attendance in primary school are 30% more likely to meet expected standards in reading, writing and maths than those attending 90–95%. (If your child is absent for 10 days in an academic year the maximum attendance they can achieve is 95% for the year).

- At secondary level, pupils with attendance above 95% are almost twice as likely to achieve a grade 5 in English and Maths GCSE compared to those attending 90–95%. (Missing 20 days a year (90% attendance) can reduce the likelihood of achieving these grades by around 50%.)

- Persistent absence (missing 20 or more days) is linked to lower academic achievement and can impact negatively on future earnings by up to £10,000 by the age of 28.

Dudley statistics

In Dudley we have been making great strides to improve attendance across the borough.

You can see from the table above attendance matters in Dudley and our children are attending more. This will mean better outcomes and work chances as our children become adults.

How can parents help their children at primary school?

Unlike secondary school, primary school children often rely on their parents to get them to school on time. So parents play a crucial role in ensuring your child/ren attend school, on time, on a daily basis.

Every day in school counts. Regular attendance helps your child:

- Keep up with learning and make good progress.

- Build strong friendships and feel part of the school community.

- Develop confidence and resilience for the future.

If you are experiencing any difficulties that make attendance challenging, please contact us. We are here to work with you to ensure your child has the best possible chance to succeed.

All Hales Valley Trust Schools have pastoral staff who can help children who might be finding school tricky. This might be the case for all children at any time – we know this. We also support children and families with any worries about home too.

Thank you for your continued support in making every day count for your child’s education – for today - and also for their future as an adult in wider society.