Behaviour and Attendance: Reducing persistent absence

• Date: Mar 09
• Programme: Behaviour and Attendance
• Focus: A coordinated approach to improving attendance by raising whole-school awareness and ensuring individual responsibility for reducing levels of persistent absence
• Number in series: 4
• School name: The Community Science College
• Phase: Secondary
• Key stage: Key Stages 3 and 4
• Local authority: Kirklees
• Ref: 00180-2009PDF-EN-04

The Community Science College at Thornhill, Kirklees

Background

The school was identified as having high levels of persistent absence. In 2006–07 the percentage of pupils with persistent absence was 12.61%.

The attendance leader in the school recognised that although a significant amount of time had been invested to try to reduce levels of persistent absence during 2006–07, it had not resulted in the required improvement.

The decision was made to launch a coordinated approach to improving attendance, including raising awareness across the whole school community and ensuring that each individual was aware of their impact on and responsibility for reducing levels of persistent absence in the school.