Raise Your Childs Attendance, Raise their Chances

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Raise Your Childs Attendance,-Raise their
Chances!

• What does Good attendance mean?

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Why is Attendance Important?

• Attending school is a legal requirement.
• For every 17 days absence from school, a pupil
  can drop one GCSE grade.
• Only 10 of pupils with poor attendance achieve 5
  A - C grade GCSEs compared to 58 of pupils
  with good attendance.
• 21 of pupils with very poor attendance leave
  school with no qualifications compared to 3 of
  pupils who have regular attendance.

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• Do you know what your child's attendance is?
• Do you know what it means?
• ?

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This is Simon. He is in Year 7 and has 90
attendance.

• Is that good?
• What does this mean?

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Simon thinks this is pretty good, so do his
parents. Are they right?

• 90 attendance ½ day missed every week!!
• (Would your boss like you to be off work this
  much??). Thats practically part time!

Absent half a day every week
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Lets looks a little closer..

• 1 school year at 90 attendance 4 whole weeks
  of lessons MISSED!!!

38 school weeks
Absent for 4 weeks
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90 attendance over 5 years of secondary school.

• ½ a school year missed!

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What impact might this have on Simons life?

• Research suggests that 17 missed school days a
  year GCSE grade DROP in achievement. (DfES)
• The greater the attendance the greater the
  achievement.

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15-y-o achieving
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What could Simons potential earnings look like?
Graduate degree 15.01 per hour

• A levels 10.25 per hour

GCSEs 9.02 per hour.
no qualifications 7.44 per hour.
Potential Earnings average per hour
Qualifications
What do you want for your child?
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Punctuality

• Lateness can affect your attendance and your
  attainment.
• Being on time is just as important as being
  there.
• BUT if you are late SIGN IN!!!!

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Be early to school

• Did you know.
• 15 Mins late each day 8 days absence over a
  year
• School starts at 8.30am

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Authorised or Unauthorised?

• The school may authorise your absences if.

• If you are absent for any other reason, it is
  likely that it will not be authorised.

• You have been Sick
• It is for religious observance
• You have been excluded
• There are exceptional circumstances such as
  bereavement

• This includes
• Family Holidays
• Birthdays
• Shopping
• Your absences may not be authorised if your
  overall attendance is 82 or less.

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Low Attendance?

• The following may happen if you have low
  attendance.
• 90 or less a letter of concern from school
• 86 or less letter for meeting in school
• 82 or less no further absences authorised
• 80 less A referral is made to Education Welfare
  Service

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The Education Welfare Service

• The EWS works with and supports families, pupils
  and schools to help improve attendance.
• Each school has a named Education Welfare
  Officer (EWO).
• The EWS has the statutory responsibility for
  monitoring attendance and if necessary take court
  action against parents.

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Penalties

• If parents are taken to court they could receive
• A maximum fine up to 2,500 and/or 3 months in
  prison
• A Parenting Order- Parents will need to attend
  parenting classes for 3 months
• A community punishment order- Parents would be
  required to work in the community perhaps
  painting litter bins etc.

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So 90 is not as good as it first seemed.

• What can do as a parent to increase my child's
  attendance?

I
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Ways for parents to encourage attendance

• Find out regularly your child's absence. (Ask for
  half days if easier) and check this matches with
  your own record.
• Talk regularly with your child about school and
  how they feel about it. More likely to attend if
  they feel supported and anxieties listened to.

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Ways for parents to encourage attendance

• Phone us as soon as possible to tell us why your
  child is absent, and when you expect them to
  return. Putting the school number in your phone
  can save you time. Know the school routine for
  alerting you to absence. (02084871932)
• Only grant days at home for genuine illness. (you
  will know!!)
• Avoid taking holidays in school time.

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Ways for parents to encourage attendance

• Know routines of the school day to avoid issues,
  e.g. have they got their PE kit?
• If you have concerns ring us we will check
  attendance and be discreet.
• PRAISE AND REWARD GOOD ATTENDANCE even small
  successes, e.g. going in promptly, even when
  first lesson is their worst!

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Other tips to help secure good attendance

• If there is a problem with your childs
  attendance, talk calmly to your child and listen
  to the explanation. There is always an
  explanation. It may not impress you, but it
  counted enough with your child to make them
  truant. Pursuing the reason for non attendance is
  important.
• Talk to us to resolve issues. We maybe able to
  help and support you and your child. You are not
  alone.

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Other tips to help secure good attendance

• Be particularly watchful and supportive in the
  run up to tests and aware of coursework
  deadlines.
• Check homework diary regularly for gaps as well
  as completed activities.
• Help them catch up with missed work, missed day
  doesnt mean missed work.
• Remember PRAISE for good attendance.

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Attend and Achieve!

• If a school can improve attendance by 1, they
  will see a 5-6 improvement in attainment.
  (Department for Education and Skills)
• Please help us and your child by ensuring their
  attendance remains above 95, allowing them to
  achieve their potential.

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Key Messages

• It Is never to late to improve your attendance.
• Good Attendance Good attainment
• Good Attainment Future Choices
• Ask for help - There is always a solution!

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THANKYOU

• Aim for 100 attendance each term
• Create a good routine now