We are now at the midpoint of the term, and I want to take a moment to remind all of us about the importance of students being at school regularly.
At Thomas Hassall, we often speak about perseverance and effort as essential ingredients for success. Just as important, however, is consistency - students need to be at school every day. Since COVID, habits around attendance have shifted across the country. It has become more common for students to arrive late, leave early, or miss days here and there. While this may seem harmless, the research is very clear: students learn best when they are in the classroom consistently.
Learning is about so much more than recalling content. It takes time and practice to develop confidence and skills. It also requires daily social interaction, where young people learn to collaborate, build friendships, and develop the relationships that are so important for their wellbeing. This is why learning online during the lockdowns was such a challenge, it could never replace the richness of being together. It is why our Junior School Creative Arts events this term have been successful. The students had time together.
I do understand that for many families, visiting relatives overseas during term time can be more affordable. But we must also recognise the long-term costs for your child’s learning. Public schools now track attendance on student reports, showing when absences reach levels that can begin to affect learning. There are also legal requirements for all children between 5 and 17 years of age to attend school regularly.
Our own College statistics highlight the concern:
- Junior School: 155 students have missed a total of 1,361 days.
- Senior School: 121 students have missed a total of 1,142 days so far in 2025.
This is significant—and it makes a difference to learning. Every day really does count.
As you make your plans, I encourage you to use the generous non-term dates already available on our College website for family holidays. By working together, we can give every student the consistency and opportunity they need to flourish in their learning and in life.
Just as daily effort and perseverance bring reward, so too does regular attendance helping children grow in confidence, character, and learning.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
— Galatians 6:9.
