Hurst Green Primary School
Attendance & Absence
At Hurst Green Primary School, we believe that children attend best when they feel safe, valued, supported and that they truly belong within the school community.
Our attendance culture is built around the message:
We’re Here. We Belong.
This means that we work together with families to support children to attend school regularly whenever they are well enough to do so. We recognise that attendance can sometimes be affected by a range of factors and we are committed to understanding and removing barriers through early support, positive relationships and inclusive practice.
What does this look like in practice?
Positive relationships
We prioritise strong relationships with children and families. Staff greet children warmly, celebrate effort and improvement, and provide support quickly when concerns arise.
Early support
We believe in addressing concerns early before they become bigger barriers. This may include:
- supportive conversations with parents
- check-ins with trusted adults
- Attendance Mentors
- pastoral support
- Early Help or external agency involvement where appropriate
Celebrating positive attendance behaviours
Rather than focusing only on 100% attendance, we celebrate behaviours that support learning and belonging, including:
- attending regularly when well
- improvement over time
- positive return after absence
- punctuality and readiness to learn
- resilience and engagement
Attendance Mentors
Some pupils may be supported by an Attendance Mentor — a trusted adult in school who provides encouragement, regular check-ins and additional support to help children feel confident and successful in attending school.
A consistent whole-school approach
All staff work together to promote attendance through a calm, supportive and consistent approach rooted in our school values of:
- Respect
- Compassion
- Responsibility
- Equity
- Aspiration
- Collaboration
Why attendance matters
Regular attendance supports children to:
- make strong academic progress
- build friendships and confidence
- establish positive routines
- access support and opportunities
- feel connected to school life
Every day in school matters, and we want every child to feel:
“We’re here when we can be — we belong always.”
Working together
We know that families sometimes face genuine challenges and we are committed to working in partnership to support attendance wherever we can.
If you are worried about your child’s attendance or wellbeing, please contact the school so we can help.