1. The Traffic Light System
We decided to introduce a system, based on the previous table, which would be easy for students, parents and staff to identify with.
Just as we expect our students to know what grade or level they are at in a subject they would now know where they were with their attendance
So the TFL System was introduced - via student assemblies, displays on notice boards and to parents through the Attendance newsletter.
It was implemented in Sept 10 1

2. What is your % attendance?
We asked our students ‘What is your attendance’?
Do you know in % terms – highly unlikely
Do you think it’s good, ok or poor – only those who had no time off knew it was good, the remainder guessed it was good but didn’t have a clue
We asked our students what their attendance target was – again some guessed
We realised in order to raise the profile of attendance we had to enable students to take ownership of their attendance
So we started by showing them something they could relate to
And what
does it mean? 2 2

3. 190 175 DAYS HOLIDAY A YEAR!!! Great Worrying Serious Concern 100% 95%
.....For family time, friends, visits, holidays,
shopping, appointments....which leaves…
190
School days in each year
10 days absence
19 days absence
29 days absence
38 days absence
47 days absence
180
days of Education
171
161
152
143
100%
95%
90%
85%
80%
75%
Great
Best chance of success
Gets your child off to
a flying start
Worrying
Less chance of success
Makes it harder for your child to make progress
Serious Concern
Not fair on your child.
This slide explains why
If you attend school for between days you will have the best chance of achieving your full potential.
As your attendance falls so your chance of success falls
So, you need to be in school to succeed (– let’s be fair here, you do get 175 days holiday a year! ) 3

4. Persistent Lateness
You may have excellent attendance however it can also affect your education if you are regularly late for school
If you are 10 minutes late for school twice a week this means
You are missing the equivalent of one letters and sounds lesson each week
Over a school year you are missing the equivalent of 2 days of school
Throughout your time at North Walsall Primary Academy you will miss the equivalent of nearly 3 weeks of school.
Try setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier in the morning

5. 190 days in school & 175 days holidays
Expectations
A year is 365 DAYS made up of...
190 days in school & 175 days holidays
In an ideal world we would like to see …
you all in school for 190 days
you arriving promptly for registration no later than 8:50am
realistically we expect you to be in school on time for at least 180 days
Why is this?
What were our expectations – read through slide 5

6. What’s our sign telling you?
95% to
100%
85% to 95%
It’s based on a set of traffic lights –
95-100% means a green light
85-95% is amber
85% or below is red
The students are familiar with the TFL system as posters are displayed in every tutor room, on TV screens and in Keystage areas.
Let’s talk through these colours in more detail
85% and below 6

7. This is where you need to be! but nothing to worry about....
ON TARGET! Green - 95% and over SIGN = WELL DONE Good attendance and punctuality- on target.
Read through slide
(Students who are ‘green’ receive house points each week and are eligible for the half termly prize draws and termly reward trips)
This is where you need to be!
They may have had the odd illness
but nothing to worry about....
we all have them now and again. 7 7

8. UNDER TARGET Amber 85 - 95% SIGN = CAUTION Attendance needs to improve
There may be issues:-
You may have had a prolonged illness, which is authorised and you are now back on track.
There may be something going on which may affect your attendance. This is a SIGN.....think about what's going wrong and contact the school.
Your LEARNING is being affected and you will need to catch up. So, ask your parents to speak to your teacher
Talk through slide
(Students and parents are made aware there will be consequences for unexplained or unauthorised absence) 8 8

9. Help needed to get back on track?
RED 85% and below
SIGN = WARNING!
Help needed to get back on track?
Urgent changes needed
By this stage we will be aware of any issues and have been in contact with you.
It is likely that the Education Welfare Service will work closely with the school to help resolve any issues
Talk through slide
That was the theory but how did we implement it and get students to take ownership of their attendance? 9 9

10. Students with 90% attendance Absent half a day every week
This means that they are absent from lessons for the equivalent of one half day every week.
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
Talk through it....that’s so not good......” bit of a shock when you see it like that?
If your miss a morning that’s 3 lessons – 3 lessons to catch up on AM PM ?
Absent half a day every week 10

11. ? four whole weeks Sept July Absent for 4 weeks!
90% attendance means that a student has missed the equivalent of
four whole weeks
of lessons in the school year.
38 school weeks
Sept
July
Whaattt????? A month out of the year???? ?
Absent for 4 weeks! 11

12. Three quarters of a year
If a student has 90% attendance continually throughout their time at school, over 7 years they will miss the equivalent of about three quarters of a school year
July
Sept
My Goodness I rest my case
Three quarters of a year
absent from school EY Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 12