Attend, Achieve, Succeed – Council To Help Schools Drive Up Attendance
Attend, achieve, succeed – that’s the key message of a new attendance drive for Newport schools.
In a bid to further improve the achievements of students across the city, Newport City Council is introducing a scheme that aims to help schools improve attendance levels.
Although attendance rates for Newport at both primary and secondary level have increased over the past few years, they remain below the national average.
Research shows that there is a clear link between poor attendance and educational attainment, and that ongoing periods of low attendance directly affect the performance of both individual pupils and a school as a whole.
The new protocol will help set challenging and appropriate targets for schools; will improve how attendance is monitored, allowing for a faster response to any potential issues; and will encourage closer working between schools in a cluster group,
Councillor Gail Giles, Newport City Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, said: “Newport is seeing improvements in its exam results at both GCSE and A-level, but we need to focus on elements, such as attendance, that impact on a young person’s education and their subsequent success.
“It is well documented that achievement is clearly linked to attendance, and as an authority we are committed to supporting our schools in this area.”
The new protocol is also being complemented by an awareness campaign targeting students, parents and carers. Not only will it aim to increase understanding of the importance of good attendance, but will improve awareness of the support that is available.
www.newport.gov.uk/schools
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