Attendance at Newmarket Academy

At Newmarket Academy, we believe that every day counts. Rather than simply looking at attendance percentages, we encourage students to build positive attendance habits through our Attendance Streaks initiative.

An attendance streak is built by attending school every day, on time. The longer a streak continues, the greater the opportunities for learning, achievement and recognition. We celebrate students who maintain strong attendance through assemblies, rewards and our attendance raffles.

Research shows that good attendance is one of the strongest indicators of academic success, wellbeing and future opportunities. Every lesson attended is a chance to learn something new, strengthen friendships and make progress towards personal goals.

Streaks and Broken Weeks

Attendance Streaks

A streak is created when a student attends school every day within a week.

Streaks help students:

• Build positive routines.
• Develop resilience and commitment.
• Maximise learning time.
• Achieve their full academic potential.
• Access rewards and attendance celebrations.

Every week a student attends fully is another step towards a longer attendance streak.

Broken Weeks

A broken week occurs when a student misses one or more school days during the week.

Although occasional absence can sometimes be unavoidable, each broken week can:

• Interrupt learning.
• Make it more difficult to keep up with classwork.
• Reduce opportunities for collaboration with teachers and peers.
• Impact long-term attendance patterns.

Our aim is to work with students and families to reduce broken weeks and build longer attendance streaks throughout the year.

Reporting an Absence

If your child is unable to attend school, please inform us before 8:30am on each day of absence.

We would like you to do this via the Arbor App.

When contacting us, please provide:

• Your child’s name and tutor group.
• The reason for absence.
• Details of symptoms if your child is unwell.
• An expected return date where possible.

Providing detailed information helps us support your child and fulfil our safeguarding responsibilities.

Attendance Rewards

At Newmarket Academy, we believe that positive attendance deserves recognition.

Students may be rewarded through:

• Weekly Attendance Streaks Raffles.
• Attendance celebrations in assemblies.
• Tutor group competitions.
• Recognition certificates and prizes.

By celebrating attendance regularly, we aim to create a culture where being in school every day is valued and recognised.

Need Support?

We understand that attending school can sometimes be challenging.

If your child is experiencing difficulties with attendance, please contact their Head of Year or our Attendance Team as early as possible. The sooner concerns are identified, the sooner support can be put in place.

Support may include:

• Pastoral support.
• Attendance planning meetings.
• Early Help support.
• Referrals to external agencies where appropriate.

Our focus is always on helping students overcome barriers and establish successful attendance habits.

Our Attendance Goal

Every day matters. Every lesson matters. Every streak matters.

By working together, we can help every student build strong attendance habits, reduce broken weeks and maximise their opportunities for success at Newmarket Academy.