Every Day Matters • Every Learner Matters

At Ysgol Minafon, we want every child to belong, engage, participate and achieve.

Regular attendance gives children the best opportunity to enjoy school, build friendships, develop confidence and make progress in their learning. Welsh Government identifies regular attendance as an important part of improving outcomes for children and young people.

Our approach is supportive, not simply about numbers. If a child is finding it difficult to attend school regularly, we want to understand why and work together with families to identify the right support.

🌱 Why does attendance matter?

Coming to school regularly helps children to:

• 📚 Learn and make progress – learning builds from one day to the next.
• 🧠 Develop important skills – including reading, writing, mathematics, communication and independence.
• 💚 Feel that they belong – being in school helps children feel part of their class and school community.
• 👫 Build friendships – relationships develop through regular shared experiences.
• 🌟 Grow in confidence – routines and regular participation help children feel secure and successful.
• 🚀 Prepare for the future – regular attendance supports children in developing the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for later life.

Welsh Government guidance recognises the relationship between regular attendance, engagement in learning and positive outcomes for learners.

📅 Every School Day Counts

Occasional days away from school can quickly accumulate.

For example, 90% attendance means that around one school day every two weeks is being missed. Over a full school year, that is roughly 19 days of education.

Missing school does not only mean missing the work completed that day. Children may also miss explanations, opportunities to practise skills, discussions, experiences and the foundations needed for the learning that follows.

This is why we monitor attendance carefully and aim to identify patterns early.

💛 Sometimes There Are Barriers to Attendance

We recognise that attendance is not always straightforward.

Children and families can experience illness, anxiety, additional learning needs, changes at home, transport difficulties or other circumstances that make regular attendance more challenging.

Welsh Government guidance encourages schools to work collaboratively with learners and families, identify the reasons affecting attendance and help families access appropriate support.

Please talk to us early.

We would much rather know that a family is experiencing difficulty so that we can explore what might help.

🤝 Working Together

Improving attendance works best when school, children and families work together.

At Ysgol Minafon we will:

Listen → Understand → Support → Review → Celebrate improvement

Where attendance begins to cause concern, we may contact parents or carers, discuss the reasons for absence, monitor attendance more closely and agree appropriate support or next steps.

Where appropriate, we may also work alongside the Education Welfare Service and other professionals to help children and families overcome barriers to regular attendance. Welsh Government guidance places partnership between schools, families, local authorities and other services at the centre of improving attendance.

🏡 What Can Parents and Carers Do?

Families can make a significant difference by establishing good routines, ensuring children arrive at school on time, arranging routine appointments outside school hours wherever possible and contacting school promptly when a child cannot attend.

Most importantly, talk to us if something is getting in the way of attendance. Asking for help early can prevent a small difficulty becoming a much bigger barrier.

Welsh Government has also published specific work on supporting parents and carers where children experience difficulties with attendance.

🦢 Our Message at Ysgol Minafon

Every day in school is an opportunity to learn, belong, grow and succeed.

We want our learners to be in school as regularly as possible, but we also recognise that behind every attendance figure is a child and a family.

Our aim is to work with families, identify difficulties early and provide or seek additional support when it is needed.