Attendance Curriculum

Rationale and Overview

At St Michael’s CE Primary School, we believe that attendance is fundamental to every child’s opportunity to achieve, belong and thrive. Regular attendance enables pupils to fully access our ambitious curriculum, build meaningful relationships, develop positive habits and participate in the wider experiences that prepare them for life beyond primary school. It is through consistent attendance that children are able to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Our Christian vision, ‘Courage to Flourish in the Love of God’, shapes our approach to attendance. We recognise every child as unique and precious, created in the image of God, and believe every pupil deserves the opportunity to experience life in all its fullness (John 10:10). Attendance is therefore far more than a daily register mark; it is the gateway through which children experience learning, friendship, belonging, support and personal growth.

Whilst robust systems for monitoring attendance and supporting families remain essential, we recognise that positive attendance habits should also be explicitly taught. Just as we teach pupils how to read, write and develop positive behaviour, we deliberately teach the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and routines that help children attend regularly, arrive punctually and overcome barriers to learning.

Our Attendance Curriculum has been carefully designed as a progressive programme of learning from Nursery to Year 6. Through a sequence of age-appropriate lessons, pupils develop an understanding of why attendance matters, how positive routines support success, where they can seek help when school feels difficult and how attending school regularly contributes to both their current achievement and future aspirations.

The curriculum reflects our relational and restorative culture. Children learn that they are known, valued and missed when absent. They understand that returning after absence is a fresh start, that asking for help is a strength and that school is a place where they are welcomed, supported and encouraged to succeed. By explicitly teaching these messages, we aim to remove barriers before they become entrenched and create a culture where attendance is everyone’s responsibility.

Attendance education is woven throughout the life of the school. Weekly ten-minute lessons are reinforced through collective worship, PSHE, classroom routines, assemblies, pastoral support, restorative conversations and our shared language of The St Michael’s Way. This ensures that attendance is not taught as an isolated initiative but becomes part of the daily lived experience of every child.

The curriculum is fully inclusive and recognises that some pupils face additional barriers to attendance. Lessons are adapted for pupils with SEND, medical needs, emotionally based school avoidance, anxiety, trauma or complex family circumstances and are complemented by personalised pastoral support. Our aim is never to shame pupils for absence but to develop their confidence, resilience and understanding so they feel able to attend, engage and succeed.

Leaders evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum alongside attendance data, punctuality, persistent absence, pupil voice, parent voice and the experiences of vulnerable groups. This enables us to continually refine our provision, respond to emerging needs and ensure that attendance remains a strategic priority across the school. Ultimately, our ambition is that every child understands that attending school every day gives them the very best opportunity to learn well, develop positive relationships and embrace the rich opportunities school provides. By embedding a carefully planned Attendance Curriculum, we are developing lifelong habits that enable pupils not only to attend school successfully today, but to become confident, resilient young people who are ready for secondary education and prepared for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life.

Attendance Curriculum Overview

The Attendance Curriculum is delivered through ten progressive lessons, each building children’s understanding of the importance of attendance, punctuality, belonging and personal responsibility. The lessons are revisited and adapted throughout the year to respond to the needs of each class and individual pupils.

Lesson	Focus	Key Learning
Lesson 1 – Every Day Matters	Understanding the value of attendance	Pupils learn that every day in school provides opportunities to learn, grow, develop friendships and flourish.
Lesson 2 – We Belong Here	Belonging and inclusion	Pupils understand that everyone belongs at St Michael’s, every child is noticed and missed, and returning after absence is always welcomed.
Lesson 3 – Starting the Day Well	Punctuality	Pupils explore why arriving on time helps them feel calm, prepared and ready to learn, and understand the impact of lateness on learning.
Lesson 4 – Morning Routines	Building positive habits	Pupils learn how good routines at home help them arrive at school ready to succeed and develop independence and responsibility.
Lesson 5 – Feelings About School	Emotional wellbeing	Pupils recognise that it is normal to experience different emotions about school and learn how to seek support when worries arise.
Lesson 6 – Catching Up After Absence	Returning confidently	Pupils develop strategies to return positively following absence, understanding that every day is a fresh start and support is always available.
Lesson 7 – Healthy Enough for School?	Making good attendance decisions	Pupils learn the difference between being too unwell to attend school and times when support can help them remain in school safely.
Lesson 8 – Friendship and Attendance	Relationships	Pupils understand that friendship difficulties should be addressed through support and restorative approaches rather than avoiding school.
Lesson 9 – My Future Self	Aspirations	Pupils make connections between attendance, achievement, future education, employment and lifelong opportunities.
Lesson 10 – Our Attendance Promise	Reflection and commitment	Pupils reflect on their learning and create a shared commitment to attending regularly, supporting one another and living out the values of St Michael’s.

Progressive Curriculum Themes

Across the ten lessons, pupils progressively develop their understanding of:

• Attendance and Achievement – understanding that every day in school contributes to learning and success.
• Belonging – recognising that every child is an important member of the St Michael’s family.
• Positive Routines – developing habits that promote excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Emotional Wellbeing – building resilience and knowing how to ask for help when school feels difficult.
• Relationships – understanding the role friendships and trusted adults play in supporting attendance.
• Responsibility and Independence – taking increasing ownership of attendance as pupils move through the school.
• Preparing for the Future – recognising that good attendance is a lifelong habit that supports success in secondary school, employment and adult life.