Attendance

Excellent attendance is the foundation of academic success, personal development, and future opportunities. Every lesson counts, and time missed in school directly impacts how well students achieve. Attendance at St Mark’s is consistently excellent; it is above national figures and DFE targets which reflects the happy and caring environment we have nurtured. 

Research consistently shows a strong relationship between attendance and exam performance:

• Students who attend school regularly make better progress and achieve higher grades overall.
• Even small amounts of absence add up over time and reduce academic outcomes. Missing just a few days can significantly affect learning.

• Each day of absence can have a measurable negative impact on attainment, with learning gaps widening over time.

Missing school doesn’t just affect exam results. It can also lead to:

• Gaps in knowledge that make future learning harder
• Reduced confidence and engagement in lessons

We recognise that illness and unavoidable circumstances will sometimes affect attendance. However, we ask all families to support us in ensuring students are in school every day possible, arriving on time, and ready to learn.

Together, we can ensure every student achieves their full potential.

Here is a link to our Attendance Policy

Punctuality

At St Mark’s, we take punctuality very seriously. Arriving at school and to lessons on time is an important part of being ready for the day and demonstrates respect for education, teachers and fellow students as well as being vital life and employability skills. Any lateness can mean missing valuable teaching and can disrupt the experience of others. We expect all students to arrive promptly and be ready to begin each lesson. Where lateness becomes persistent, escalating sanctions will be applied, alongside appropriate support to help students improve their punctuality.