Week 20
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As we move beyond the halfway point of the academic year, Tuesday 4th February marked School Attendance Gap Day. This marks the day when ‘severely absent’ young people effectively have their final day in school and would essentially miss the equivalent of the rest of the school year through absence. Nationally, the problem of absence from school is growing – severe absence has increased 149% since 2019. Attendance at school every day is essential – everyday a student is absent from school results in lost learning. The long term consequences of lost learning are significant, contributing to cycles of poverty, missed opportunities and lost potential. The impacts are shown to be:
- Lower Attainment: There is a proven correlation between school absence and school attainment. Data from the Children’s Commissioner report ‘Missing school, missing grades’ reveals that 78% of pupils who were rarely absent in both years passed at least 5 GCSEs, including English and maths, in 2022. By comparison, just one in twenty pupils who were ‘severely absent’ met the same standards.
- Reduced Social Mobility: The Social Mobility Commission views NEET (not in education, employment or training) as a key indicator for social mobility. Research has found that ‘persistently absent’ children and young people (missing 10% or more of education) are 3.9 times more likely to be NEET and 6.3 times more likely to be persistently NEET.
- Risk of School Exclusion: The Who is Losing Learning Coalition has found that children who are ‘severely absent’ from school are also five times more likely to be permanently excluded than the national rate, suggesting that severe absence may correlate with behavioural problems that schools do not have the capacity to address.
- Exposure to Harmful Influences: School provides a strong protective effect from harmful influences. Analysis from the CSJ in 2023 indicated that the rising rates of school absences could create an extra 9,000 extra young offenders by 2027 if left unresolved.
Just 9 school days off in a whole school year would result in a student not having “good” attendance. Missing 18 days of school in one year would result in them being officially classified as “persistently absent”. Our attendance team will be sending letters in the coming days to address and specific attendance concerns and I would urge you to consider these and take action to ensure student attendance improves.
As a school community, we must do more to ensure that young people attend school every day. I would like to celebrate the 505 students who have maintained 100% attendance so far this academic year but also highlight that more must be done to ensure that students are attending every day. Please do not make appointments during the school day or book family holidays during term time. If students are feeling unwell in the morning, please encourage them to come in to school if they are able to do so; there are coughs and colds going around at this time of year but these should not be a reason to miss school.
We have had another busy week of sports fixtures, on Tuesday the Year 8 girls got to the final of the MK Schools tournament and did incredible well to win every game until the final where they unfortunately lost 3-1 against Walton High Brooklands. Our Year 9 girls team had a superb win against Stantonbury, winning 10 – 0 and the Year 7 girls also won 10 – 1. Well done to your Year 8 girls team who also had a 3 – 0 victory this week. On Thursday, we hosted the County Cup Semi Final against Dr Challoner’s School where our Year 10s boys suffered a narrow 2 – 1 defeat in the closing seconds of the game. Finally, our students represented us brilliantly at the Bucks Cross Country Championships, where two Watling students also progressed to the National Round. Well done to all students involved in fixtures this week.
Our Y8 Girls with their medals.
I’d like to remind all parents, carers and students that students will be required to come into school in full uniform from Monday, and change into PE kits are per our normal arrangements. Students will be expected to continue to demonstrate quiet and respect behaviour to support our Year 11 students who are sitting exams.
During next week, we will be holding our Celebration Assemblies. All staff really look forward to celebrating the achievements of our students and our Celebration Assemblies are a really positive way to end each half term.
Wishing you all a restful weekend.
Mrs Fry
What’s happening next week?
Key events upcoming:
- Monday 10th February: Y11 Mocks all week
- Monday 10th February: Safer internet Week
- Tuesday 11th February: Violence Against Women & Girls Workshops continue for Y7/8
- Tuesday 11th February: Y10 Art Mock Exam
- Wednesday 12th February: Y10 Bletchley Park Trip
- Thursday 13th February: Global Challenge Mandarin trip
- Thursday 13th February: Y9K Subject Consultation Online
- Friday 14th February: FOWA Doughnut sale
- Friday 14th February: Last day of Term
Sports Fixtures:
- Tuesday 11th February: Y9 & Y10 Girls Indoor Cricket Tournament
- Tuesday 11th February: Y7 Girls 5-a-side Football Tournament
- Tuesday 11t February: Y7 Girls & Y9 Girls & Boys Badminton Vs Leon
- Thursday 13th February: Y7 Boys Football Vs Hazeley
Updated dates for the diary…
Events in our Community
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