In order to leave primary school with the skills they need to succeed throughout the rest of their educational journey, good attendance is vital.
But across the country, our children’s attendance rates show definite room for improvement. The Government’s latest absence and attendance figures, covering the full 2023/24 school year, show that the overall absence rate - the percentage of half-days missed for all pupils - still lingers well above pre-pandemic figures. One in five pupils were also labelled ‘persistently absent’, meaning they missed at least 10% of these half-day sessions.
A recent Department for Education report highlighted how big a difference this can make, even in the primary school years. It found that pupils who attended school nearly every day in Year 6 were 1.3 times more likely to meet the Government’s expected standards in reading, writing and maths compared to pupils who only attended 90-95% of the time. This means missing just 10 days of school cuts their chances by around 25%.
With more than 300 primary schools across the county - including infant and junior schools - we’ve taken a closer look at how those in the North and West Northamptonshire council areas measure up when it comes to pupils missing class. Using this data, we have created a league table for parents featuring the state-funded schools with the lowest absence rates.
It has given many smaller village schools the chance to shine. But equally, larger schools with roll sizes in the hundreds in places like Wellingborough and Towcester have also made the list.
Here were the 17 schools that came out on top:
1. Milton Parochial Primary School
At the top of the list is this Anglican primary academy, in the village of Milton Malsor, West Northamptonshire. It has a roll size of about 59, and a higher rate of pupils meeting the Government’s expected standards in reading, writing, and maths than both the local and national averages. In the 2023/24 school year, it had a low overall absence rate of just 2.5%. | Google
2. Blakesley Church of England Primary School
Another Anglican village primary academy, this one is in Blakesley, West Northamptonshire. It has about 102 pupils. In the 2023/24 school year, it had an overall absence rate of 2.9%. | Google
3. All Saints CEVA Primary School and Nursery
All Saints is a local authority-maintained Anglican primary school in Wellingborough, North Northamptonshire. It has a roll size of about 241 pupils. In the 2023/24 school year, it had an overall absence rate of 3.1%. | Google
4. Kislingbury Primary School
This is a primary academy in Kislingbury, just west of Northampton. It has a roll size of about 116, and a notably higher-than-average proportion of pupils meeting expected standards in reading, writing, and maths. In the 2023/24 school year, it had an overall absence rate of 3.2%. | Google