Charlton School

Dear Parents/Carers

I hope you are keeping well and enjoyed spending some time with your children over the half term and the weather did not spoil to many of your plans!

Attendance

Before the half term break, I wrote to you about our plans to recognise those students who regularly attend school.

We know that absence due to COVID is unavoidable, but we also know that absence is proven to have a significant negative impact upon a child’s educational attainment and further education.  Regular attendance is not only a legal requirement but is essential for children/young people to maximise their educational opportunities.

This week we are launching two new recognition schemes for regular attendance: our ‘Student Attendance Challenge’ and our ‘Weekly Form Attendance Challenge’

Student Attendance Challenge

As you know, your child’s attendance is crucial to unlocking their potential at Charlton School. Between now and the end of term (Thursday April 7th) we are challenging all students to achieve 100% attendance

Any student who achieves 100% attendance for this half term will be recognised in a special End of Term Attendance Assembly

For more support with your child’s attendance to school please contact their Pastoral Manager or Head of Year

Weekly Form Attendance Challenge

Each week we will recognise the best attending form group in each year for that week, this information will be shared with students each Monday during Form Time

Why Attendance Matters

Any absence affects the pattern of a student’s schooling and regular absence will seriously affect their learning. Student absence also disrupts teaching routines so may affect the learning of others in the same class as well as the student themselves. If a student’s attendance drops below 90%, the student will have missed over 95 lessons in a year, significantly impacting their potential to learn.

Ensuring students attend regularly at school is a parent/carer’s legal responsibility.

For our students to gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that they attend regularly. All students should be at school, on time, every day the school is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable.

Supporting Attendance To School

We know that there continue to be many challenges for families and students regarding attendance to school; families continue to be impacted by COVID-19 illness, we know that some students are still anxious about attending school

At Charlton we have a wide range of staff available to help support your child with good attendance and if you require support, I would ask that you first make contact with their Head of Year or Pastoral Manager who will then be able to direct to the necessary support needed

Thank you for your continuing support.

Yours faithfully

Mr L Evans

Vice Principal