Moments matter, attendance counts

At Kennington CE Academy, we believe that excellent attendance and punctuality are essential for every child.  Children should come to school every day and on time unless absolutely unavoidable. Promoting excellent attendance is the duty of everyone; parents/carers, staff and pupils.  Occasionally children can be reluctant to come to school,  we would encourage parents to discuss this with the class teacher or our FLO, Mrs Haddleton. Our attendance expectation is 100% However, we recognise that children are sometimes ill and so our minimum expectation for attendance is 97%.

Why is regular school attendance so important for my child?
Regular attendance at school means that your child can make the most of their education and improve their chances in adult life. School can also help your child’s social skills such as making and developing friendships. A regular and punctual attendance pattern will help your child when they enter the world of work.

The link between attendance and attainment in school is clear. The more a pupil is in school the more they increase their opportunity to fulfil their potential.

You can contact us with attendance related queries by telephone: 01233 623744 or by email attendance@kennington.school

Is my child too ill to come to school?

Please use this link for NHS guidance on when a child should be absent, for how long plus additional advice for parents.
Is my child too ill for school?

Absence and Anxiety
The DfE have reported  that there is a recognition that ‘more children may be absent from school due to symptoms of anxiety than before the pandemic. Worry and mild or moderate anxiety, whilst sometimes difficult emotions, can be a normal part of growing up for many children and young people. Being in school can often help alleviate the underlying issues. A prolonged period of absence is likely to heighten a child’s anxiety about attending in the future, rather than reduce it.’ If you feel that your child is struggling please contact Mrs Haddleton.

Persistent Absence
A child who only attends school for 90% or less of the time is classed as a Persistent Absentee.
90% might sound great, but Jack's story shows us why it's not:

Jack is a child who attends school for 90% of the time. His parents think this is quite good. However, 90% attendance is the same as being absent from school for a half day every week.

Over a whole school year Jack would miss four weeks of lessons. Jack would also spend more time away from school over the year than in school!
Days in a year: 365
Days spent in school: 171
Days spent out of school: 194

If Jack's attendance for all the years he went to school was 90% he would have missed 209 days of school, that's more than a whole school year!

So why does persistent absence matter?

Missing school has a huge impact on how well a pupil gets on at school. The more school a child misses, the harder it is for them to get into a routine of attending regularly and catch up on the work they have missed.

Research shows that persistently absent children are less likely to do well at school, they are more likely to experience crime, either as a victim or perpetrator, struggle financially, and even suffer with poor health in later life.

A few days of absence now could have a huge impact on a child's future opportunities.

If you have any concerns and need help getting your child to school please speak to us, we want to help.

Request for leave of absence during term time.
The law states that parents do not have a right to take their child out of school for a holiday during term time. Only in exceptional circumstances may a head teacher grant permission for leave.

Click here for our Attendance Policy

The Kennington CE Academy Attendance Team

Senior Attendance Champion - Mrs Karen Godsell
Role of Senior Attendance Champion:
-Creating intervention or reintegration plans in partnership with pupils and their parents/carers
- Liaising with pupils, parents/carers and external agencies, where needed
- Establishing and maintaining effective systems for tackling absence, and making sure they are followed by all staff
- Regularly monitoring and evaluating progress in attendance
- Having a strong grasp of absence data and oversight of absence data analysis
- Evaluating and monitoring expectations and processes
- Setting a clear vision for improving and maintaining good attendance
- Leading, championing and improving attendance across the school

Attendance Officer - Mrs Melanie Snoswell

Family Liaison Officer (FLO) - Mrs Clare Haddleton

Inclusion Leader - Mrs Rachel Lavender

Role of the Attendance Team:
- Monitoring attendance data: Regularly reviewing attendance records to identify patterns of absences and pupils with concerning attendance levels.
- Providing regular updates on attendance trends to school leadership and identifying areas for improvement.
- Reporting and analysis: Working with social services, healthcare providers, and other community organizations to access necessary resources for students facing challenges.
- Liaising with external agencies: Proactively identifying students at risk of poor attendance and providing early support to prevent further absences.
- Early intervention: Collaborating with teachers, counsellors, and social services to create personalised plans for students with persistent absences, addressing underlying issues
- Developing support plans: Exploring potential barriers to attendance, such as family issues, health concerns, or transportation problems.
- Investigating reasons for absences: Reaching out to families when a student is absent to understand the reason for the absence and follow up on necessary steps to ensure their return to school.
- Contacting parents/guardians: Regularly reviewing and recording student attendance records, identifying patterns of absences, and flagging concerning trends.
- Reaching out to parents/carers of absent students to understand the reason for absence and provide support or address any issues impacting attendance.
- Home visits: Conducting home visits in certain situations to engage with families and discuss attendance concerns directly.
- Attendance interventions: Implementing strategies to improve attendance, such as setting attendance goals, providing incentives, or coordinating with external agencies for additional support.
- Communication with school staff: Collaborating with teachers, administrators, and other staff to share information about attendance concerns and coordinate interventions.
- Early identification of issues: Proactively identifying potential factors affecting attendance, such as family challenges, health concerns, or transportation difficulties.
- Attendance meetings: Facilitating meetings with parents/carers and school staff to discuss attendance issues and develop action plans.