Year 10 Attendance Matters
Fri 18 Mar 2022
Dear Y10 Parent/Carer
Year 10 Attendance Matters
As a parent/carer of a student in Year 10 at Outwood Academy Normanby, I am sure you will be pleased to hear that our overall school attendance is currently standing above national average. There are students in Year 10 who consistently maintain 100% attendance or very near to, and this is exceptional especially given the trying circumstances caused by the global pandemic. I would like to thank each parent or carer who has encouraged their child into school every day and ask that you continue to do so in order to maintain a good attendance for your child.
However, our attendance figures are still being pulled down and this consistently occurs within Year 10. In the last academic week the average attendance for Year 10 stood at 80%. This is considerably lower than that of other year groups and it causes concern in relation to the time and education missed on a weekly basis due to absence.
When the attendance of a student falls below 90%, this equates to around one month off each academic year resulting in the student becoming a Persistent Absentee. I’m sure you will agree this will undoubtedly have a significant impact on any child’s education, their ability to learn consistently and to stay on track with work. With the attendance of Year 10 currently sitting at 82.5%, this amounts to roughly two months' absence per child on average, if it was the case over the year.
We ask that any cases of illness such as a cold, a headache or generally feeling unwell are medicated if necessary and encouraged to come into school as soon as practicable. This not only prevents their attendance dropping, but also promotes a strong sense of resilience which we strive to create in all of our students, essential to have when dealing with challenges of daily life.
I thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child gets the best out of their education. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact the Academy.
Yours faithfully