TOP attenders at a Thorne academy have been rewarded for their contribution towards their school’s highest ever attendance record.
Attendance at Trinity Academy, in Thorne, has hit 95.44 per cent, the highest level since it opened nine years ago when the level was 90.37 per cent.
Individualised support and whole-school initiatives have helped get students to school including an incentive scheme that sees £2,500 being given away to the students who meet or beat attendance targets.
Assistant Vice Principal Andy Thurlow said: “Attendance and achievement go hand in hand and, whatever the motivation, we are delighted that students are coming to school and achieving such a high figure.”
Students hitting the target 95 per cent attendance were put into a tutor group draw to win £50. They got an extra entry for every percentage point over the target, so those with 100 per cent attendance got six chances to win.
One winner from each of the nine tutor groups in each year from Year 7-11 received a £50 gift card prize.
One hundred and thirteen students who did not miss a single day were put into an additional 100 per cent draw, with a winner picked from each year group.
One of those, 15-year-old Lucy Faulkner, reached the end of Year 10 without missing a single day of secondary or primary school.
Another, Cameron Day, 12, said he would save his prize adding: “When I was picked as my tutor group winner I was so happy and excited.”
Prize winner David Caulton-Newton, 15, just missed out on 100 per cent attendance.
“I missed two days but I’d actually come to school and got sent home because I wasn’t well. I don’t want to miss any of my education because if you miss important work for your GCSEs you may not get the grades and then you might not get a good job,” he said.
Student welfare officer Michelle Cresswell said the five per cent increase since the academy opened was “massive’ in attendance terms.
She explained: “We provide the appropriate support for the individual needs of the students, and just because someone has 100 per cent attendance it doesn’t mean they don’t need support as well.
“We have taken a whole-school approach to attendance so as well as myself and our intervention coordinators, we have the help of pastoral staff, learning mentors and in fact all the staff in helping improve attendance.
“We work closely with parents and we all try really hard but we never think we know it all and recognise there are always ways to improve.”
