Success for Telford schools as attendance figures improve

Schools with the highest attendance figures are receiving prestigious Attendance Award Shields for their success in 2011-2012.

Shields have so far been given out under two categories – most improved school attendance and most reduced persistent absence.

The shields were presented to Windmill Primary School, Captain Webb Primary, Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College and The Sutherland Business & Enterprise College.

Windmill Primary School is the primary school in the borough with the most reduced persistent absence, having achieved a reduction of 6.98 per cent from 9.04 per cent (2010-11).

The award for with most reduced persistent absence also went to The Sutherland Business & Enterprise College. This school showed a 5.76% improvement from 11.36 per cent for 2010-11 to 5.60 per cent for 2011-12.

The Attendance Award Shield for the primary school with the most improved attendance went to Captain Webb Primary who achieved an impressive 96.08 per cent for 2011-12 compared to 94.46 per cent for 2010-11 (an increase of 1.62 per cent).

According to Ofsted, this moves Captain Webb Primary from ‘Average’ to ‘High’ according to current national guidance.

The secondary school to also gain this award was Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College who achieved 94.03 per cent for 2011-12 compared to 92.99 per cent for 2010-11 (an increase of 1.04 per cent).

This school is working towards smashing national targets moving from Ofsted’s ‘Above average’ grading to ‘High’.

Councillor Paul Watling, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “It has been brilliant meeting the pupils and their staff who have worked very hard to achieve such outstanding results. With this hard work, dedication and commitment to learning schools in Telford and Wrekin have achieved above the national average for school attendance.

“Good attendance at school is very important as it improves the life chances of young people and gives them a great foundation for learning. Those pupils with a good attendance record are usually the ones who go on to obtain the best exam results and this helps to widen their choices in the future.”

Overall attendance has risen from 95.20 per cent in 2010/2011 to 95.66 per cent in 2011-2012.