Every day matters

At Defford-cum-Besford CE First School we believe that every day matters.  Children should be in school, on-time every single day to give them the best possible opportunity to learn and grow.  

The Bible teaches that people who follow Jesus’ teaching “are strong.  Like a tree planted by a river.  The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves do not die.  Everything they do will succeed."  (Psalm 1)  Our vision allows us to create an environment that helps us all to flourish.  Good attendance is fundamental in helping us achieve our vision that "Through Faith, Friendship and Fun we Learn and Grow."

Children who arrive at school late or are absent from school often

• struggle to keep up with their peers

• make reduced progress in their learning

• miss out on the incredibly important social aspects of school life

• find it challenging to make and maintain friendships

• become withdrawn 

• lack confidence

• grow to not recognise the importance of punctuality

As a school we see very clear patterns between pupil attendance and the learning progress they make.  Children who regularly attend, on time, make far better learning progress than those who do not prioritise school attendance.