Cherbourg State School students Rondine Speedy, Frankhia Bond and Izayha Kelly-West are doing well due to the work of Barambah PaCE community mentor Shantelle Arnold and
Year 3 teacher Peter Bakhash

November 7, 2012

by Marcus Priaulx

Going to school every day really does count … and NAPLAN results prove it.

Cherbourg State School has just had expert analysis done of its national assessment results and the outcome linked students’ achievement to their attendance.

“It definitely shows kids with the best attendance get the best results,” Cherbourg State School principal Peter Sansby said.

While the school has children classed as gifted and talented it also has youngsters reaching the minimum national standard or close to it, despite coming to class only 50 per cent of the time.

“This won’t be maintained unless their parents make more of an effort to ensure their children come to school every day, on time,” he said.

“The work will get harder as they get older and the children will fall behind.

“These students have huge potential and we want their parents to realise they could reach the top of any career they choose to do, if they just put in the effort to get their kids to school.

“There’s nothing worse than a potential doctor, teacher, mechanic, builder … going to waste.”

School is for only 190 of 365 days a year and Mr Sansby said parents needed to realise they were doing their children no favours by allowing them to stay at home.

He said moments of conflict or tears that may ensue by making children go to school would seem worth it as they grew to be happy, confident teenagers and adults.

“Caving in to tantrums could alternatively set them up for a hard life of struggle,” Mr Sansby said.

“School is a must. We want our children to be able to compete in a global and high-tech economy.

“There’s no doubt they can do it if they come to school every day, on time.  It’s that easy. They have the talent, they just need to realise it.”

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Does your child have the best chance of being successful?

If your child misses 10 minutes of school every day, this is equivalent to staying at home for six months by the time he/she graduates.

  • 20 minutes = 1 year
  • 30 minutes = 18 months
  • 1 hour = 2.5 years

If your child misses:

  • One day a fortnight = half of a Year 11 level of education by the time they hit Year 12
  • One day a week = About a Year 9 education by the time they hit Year 12
  • Two days per week = a Year 7 education by the time they’re in Year 12.
  • Three days per week = a Year 4 education at the age of 17 / 18.