Attendance
Building a Culture of Attendance: Inclusive Support for Every Learner (2025–2026)
Attendance - Our Vision through our Values
At Thornden School, we believe attendance is just a statistic—it is a reflection of how our students experience school. We are committed to creating a culture where every child wants to come to school because they feel they belong, they know we care, they are encouraged to aspire, and they are supported to succeed. These values are not just aspirational—they guide our practice.
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Belong – Students are more likely to attend when they feel seen, known, and valued. From their first day, we ensure that all pupils feel part of our school community. Our tutor programme, student leadership opportunities, enrichment offer and mentoring through Thornden Champions all help build relationships that anchor students to school life. We understand that those who do not attend often feel disconnected—our job is to rebuild that connection.
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Care – We recognise that behind every attendance issue is a story. For some, it may be anxiety, SEND needs, or a complex home situation. Our pastoral and inclusion teams work proactively to understand and respond with compassion. We use early check-ins, CPOMS logs, HOY conversations, and the Thornden Hub to offer timely and layered support. We do not wait for a pattern of absence to emerge before stepping in—we act early, showing families that we are partners in their child’s journey.
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Aspire – We set high expectations for every student because we believe in their potential. Attendance is monitored because it is a gateway to opportunity. We build aspiration through curriculum content, with our whole-school emphasis on adaptive teaching, high participation, and stretch-and-support strategies ensures students feel capable and successful in every lesson. Our curriculum builds aspiration through personal development, careers education, and texts that challenge stereotypes and widen horizons and by making explicit links between attendance and life chances. From Year 7 to Year 11, our message is clear: if you are in school, you are in a position to grow, lead, and shape your future. Attendance is not just about being present; it’s about being ready to grow.
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Succeed – Our aim is for every child to succeed—not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and personally. We use a robust tiered system of support, rooted in evidence-based interventions and structured around regular reviews. Success is not defined by perfection, but by progress. Our goal is long-term: sustainable, supported success for every learner. Whether a student is facing medical absence, mental health challenges, or SEND-related barriers, our systems are designed to guide them forward. We celebrate every improvement, however small, and continue to build personalised support for those who need it most.
Attendance is not just about being present—it is about feeling present, known, and supported.
By embedding our values into every stage of our attendance journey,
By embedding attendance in every aspect of school life—from the curriculum to wellbeing, pastoral care to teaching practice—we ensure that our values of Belong, Care, Aspire, and Succeed are not just spoken, but lived and that we are working hard to close the gaps between our most vulnerable students and their peers with a renewed focus on SEND, disadvantaged and those with mental health-related absences.
We know that sometimes our students cannot come to school because they are unwell – and that’s the right thing to do for them and other students. If you can complete the Daily Absence report to let us know that would be appreciated. I have attached guidance here from the NHS and DFE which gives clear guidance on the reasons why students should or should not be in school.
NHS Guidance - Is my Child too Ill for School
Department of Education - Why Attendance is Important