News

Every Day Matters: Helping Your Child Build Habits for a Successful Future

– By Ben Scanlan: Assistant Headteacher, Standards and Expectations

Earlier in the year, I wrote a piece on the range of benefits that exist for students with good attendance. At this stage in the academic year though, I think it is worth revisiting the importance of attendance but with a clear focus on the link between high attendance and good quality exam results.

Year 11 and 13 students have now started their final exams and while this will inevitably bring a heightened level of stress into these students' lives, it is also the culmination of their hard work and a chance to demonstrate their knowledge and ability. One of the messages that we have consistently shared with these two cohorts has been the research that suggests a strong positive correlation between good attendance and outcomes.

Data from Family Fisher Trust

In the above graph from Family Fisher Trust, we can see that the distance between students who attend school above 99% of the time vs students with less than 50% attendance can be as much as three and a half grades of progress. Even more interestingly, this difference remains even when disadvantage is considered. 

This is really important because there is often very little that students and their families can do about their level of deprivation. However, attending school everyday is, in the main, achievable by the vast majority.  

For students in Year 7 to Year 10, I would remind them that these years are not just about learning facts and figures. They’re about building routines, developing confidence, and forming the habits that will carry them through the rest of their lives. Among those habits, attending school every day is one of the most powerful.

Even missing a few days each term can have a serious impact on achievement. That is because learning builds day by day with every lesson building on the one before. When students are absent, it’s easy to fall behind and each time it can become harder to catch up.

At Haverstock, we understand that life doesn’t always go smoothly. Families face real pressures. Whether that’s health concerns, housing challenges, or other responsibilities. As a school, we are not here to place blame. We’re here to listen, to support, and to work in partnership with you. Our goal is the same as yours: to help your child succeed, certainly academically, but also personally and emotionally too.

Sometimes it helps to think of attendance like training for a marathon. Success comes from consistency, from showing up and putting in the effort day after day. The more time your child spends in school, the more confident and capable they become. It’s a habit that builds resilience, independence, and pride.

We want to work hand-in-hand with our families to build a culture where attendance is valued, supported, and celebrated. If you're ever struggling with getting your child to school, or if something is making it difficult, please speak to us. Whether it’s uniform, travel, motivation, or something more serious, we are here, without judgement, and ready to help.

Regularly attending school is part of growing up, and moving one step closer to a successful, empowered future.

If you need any advice or support around attendance, please contact the school office or speak to a member of staff you trust. Together, we can make a difference.

Finally, for the students who are sitting formal exams in May and June, I would like to wish you the absolute best of luck and can't wait to celebrate with you on results day!