At Thornden School we want our students to feel as if they belong, are cared about, that they can aspire and ultimately be successful. For us, therefore having a high level of school attendance is crucial in towards achieving these goals. Attending school regularly is crucial for academic progress and overall student well-being, enabling our students to achieve both person and academic success, and research has shown that students who attend school regularly have better academic outcomes, develop healthy life habits, and are more likely to achieve well.

By attending school regularly, it also allows our students to build and maintain strong relationships with their peers and teachers, foster a sense of belonging, as well as enabling them to fully engage in our wide range of extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, and enrichment programs. These activities provide opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and the exploration of interests beyond the classroom. We believe that our community is stronger together, with all our pupils in school, on time, every day. We are building life skills, life-long friendships and preparing our students for future success both academic and personal. 

We also appreciate, that as parents and carers, you can have had a significant effect on students' absences, and we are thankful for your help and support in ensuring that they attend school regularly and your encouragement of them to ensure high levels of attendance. We know that sometimes our students cannot come to school because they are unwell – and that’s the right thing to do for them and other students. If you can complete the Daily Absence report to let us know that would be appreciated. I have attached guidance here from the NHS and DFE which gives clear guidance on the reasons why students should or should not be in school. 

NHS Guidance - Is my Child too Ill for School 

Department of Education - Why Attendance is Important 

Department of Education - Attendance and Absence Guidance 

Department of Education - Illness and your Childs Education 

We also know that students fall behind with their friends and classmates when they miss school, as well as the academic content from lessons, which can impact on their successes. We, therefore, encourage you to schedule routine appointments and holidays during school breaks whenever possible to minimise disruptions to your child's education.

In order to keep you up to date with attendance we will be sending to all parents and carers , each half term an Attendance Report, breaking it down into half termly and overall attendance figures, as well as the average student attendance for their year group and the number of lessons their absence means they will have missed.

We may be in touch before this if a students attendance drops in between these Attendance Reports. We will initially send a letter after 10 sessions (5 days of absence), then a follow up after 20 missed sessions (10 days of absence) and a further after 30 missed sessions (15 days of absence), following this, if attendance is still a concern then the relevant Head of Year will be in touch to organise a time to meet and discuss ways that we can best support them to attend regularly. I just want to let you know that this is a systematic and automated system with these letters being sent when they hit these trigger points so, please do not worry if you receive one – I know that our Thornden parents communicate absences proactively. 

We appreciate that every child and family are unique and want to work with you to achieve this high level of attendance. If your child is experiencing challenges that make regular attendance difficult, please reach out to their Head of Year, who is available to provide assistance and guidance.  

Together, we can create an environment where our students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank you for your partnership in ensuring a successful school year for your child.