Drive to improve school attendance (From Crewe Guardian)

Drive to improve school attendance

4:24pm Friday 21st September 2012 in News By Matthew Taylor

CREWE rail company Bombardier will sound their hooter at 8.45 on Monday, September 24, to mark the start of the school day and a new campaign to improve pupil attendance.

Cheshire East Council is encouraging children, parents and the wider community to get behind the Every Minute Counts project.

Schools will display banners showing their support for the scheme and a large banner will be placed outside Crewe Library.

Pupils will also design their own banners, with the winning entry being displayed on Arriva buses in the town.

The campaign will also see teaching staff make a point of welcoming each child as they arrive at school.

Elsewhere, children at Wistaston Green have written comic strips to help families organise things like homework, sports kit and dinner money the night before school.

Evidence shows that children who miss periods of school at a young age are less likely to succeed academically and more likely not to be in education, employment and training (NEET) after the age of 16.

Punctuality is a another major focus of the campaign - if a child is late for school they could miss the most important part of the lesson and find it hard to catch up.

Clr Hilda Gaddum, cabinet member in charge of children and family services, said: “I am fully behind this campaign and I hope it stresses to both children and their parents about how important punctuality and good school attendance is.

“Pupils will never get this time back and, at a time when jobs are scarce, good education and qualifications are vital for future prospects.”