St Oswald's CofE Academy have been trialling an attendance initiative called the 'Under the Weather' form to encourage parents who are unsure whether to send their child into school due to a low-level illness, to try sending them in and see how they go. The form has been heavily promoted to parents by school and is also explained on the school website. As a result, we have seen a significant increase in parents using the form to help make informed decisions when their child is feeling a little under the weather.

Working in partnership with families, staff have been able to provide support and reassurance, helping parents feel more confident about when it is appropriate for their child to attend school.

The impact has been extremely encouraging. This month alone, seven children have been supported through this process, and all seven were able to remain in school for the full day.

The initiative was trialled as a result of the Evaluation Day Attendance Meeting.  This represents a really positive step in promoting good attendance, strengthening our partnership with parents, and ensuring that children can access as much of their learning and wider school experience as possible.