Parents Page

Project Literature:

Click on the links below:

Leaflet for Parents

School term dates 2007/8

SATs dates

School contact details and open and closing times

Background
Every Schoolday Counts(ESC) is a proactive and upbeat initiative that promotes the benefits of Primary School attendance to children and families.

The Project offers a city wide service to support 88 Primary and Primary aged Special Schools improve attendance levels in line with the Government’s targets of 94%.

In addition ESC offers half-day support, by the Projects Primary Support Officers, to 24 schools within the bottom quartile of attendance.

The Project aims to initiate a shift in parental perception and values to education in order that children inherit a positive attitude towards school.

Early intervention by ESC will increase attendance, raise achievement, reduce school exclusion, improve transition between key stages and reduce youth crime.

The Every Schoolday Counts Project aims to increase and promote the benefits of Primary School attendance across the City of Sunderland by working with schools, children, families and partner organisations.

Why?

Here are just a few of the reasons why such a project is worthwhile:

• There is a direct link between school absence and future unemployment.
• 50,000 children skip school each day in England and most of this absence is parentally condoned.
• Children who miss a lot of primary schooling with their parents permission are more likely to be absent or truant during their Secondary School education.
• The effects of regular absence can be detrimental to a child’s educational achievement.
• Regular and punctual attendance helps a child to increase their academic levels of achievement, make new friends and feel good about themselves!

How?

The Every Schoolday Counts Team works in many different positive ways to encourage excellent attendance and punctuality. The team of six staff offer innovative and positive approaches to working, such as:

• Using rewards and incentives to promote attendance
• Rewarding good and improved attendance
• Hosting an Annual Celebration Event for 100% attendance
• Using credit, merit and distinction certificates to increase and acknowledge good attendance patterns
• Using creative ideas to help improve attendance
• Offering a ½ day targeted support to 24 schools
• Communicating the need for good attendance through school newsletters, websites, letters to parents etc.
• Responding to lateness with playground contact and regular sweeps
• Negotiating discounts on behalf of families, to encourage better attendance during term time
• Using school notice boards to display Project literature, news and school attendance achievements
• Re-launching an interactive website for kids, parents and professionals, to share good practice, and downloadable materials/tools.
• Producing a “Spike Attendance Newsletter” to share all the Project’s news and success stories
• Providing breakfast, lunchtime and after school clubs for groups with poor attendance