Maritime Academy has become the first school in Thinking Schools Academy Trust, and the first school nationally this academic year, to achieve the Inclusive Attendance Bronze Standard.
The award recognises schools that successfully embed a whole-school culture where attendance is everyone's responsibility and where pupils and families are supported through inclusive, evidence-informed approaches. It is the first stage of the Inclusive Attendance programme and recognises schools that demonstrate a clear commitment to attendance improvement through reflection, implementation and sustainable practice.
Over the past nine months, staff, leaders, pupils, and families at Maritime Academy have worked together to strengthen systems, improve communication and develop a culture where every child is supported to attend, belong and thrive.
During the assessment process, inspectors praised the school's “Every Minute Matters” ethos, noting that it was clearly understood and embraced throughout the school community. The academy was recognised for developing robust systems and processes while ensuring inclusion, wellbeing and safeguarding remained at the heart of its approach.
The achievement reflects Thinking Schools Academy Trust's commitment to developing approaches that improve outcomes for young people through partnership, early intervention and a deep understanding of the barriers that can affect attendance.
Mrs Hall, Senior Vice Principal for Inclusion at Maritime Academy, said:
"This is a proud moment for us as we have created a culture where everyone is responsible for school attendance to encourage positive relationships and create a sense of belonging.
"Attendance at Maritime Academy is a shared priority and we identify barriers to absence early and support families to work in partnership with us, and we recognise that every minute matters."
Mrs Pullen, Regional Safeguarding Lead (South East) at Thinking Schools Academy Trust, added:
"The Inclusive Attendance approach has supported the school in developing and embedding a whole-school approach to attendance. School attendance is not simply an administrative matter; it is a vital part of safeguarding.
"Attendance data helps identify where support is needed, enabling schools to respond effectively and improve outcomes for all children."
As the first school within Thinking Schools Academy Trust to secure the accreditation, Maritime Academy is helping to demonstrate how inclusive attendance strategies can positively impact pupil wellbeing, engagement and achievement. The learning from this success will help inform and strengthen practice across our wider family of schools.
The academy is now looking ahead to the next stage of its journey towards the Inclusive Attendance Silver Standard, building on the strong foundations already in place.
Mrs Hall, Senior Vice Principal for Inclusion at Maritime Academy, said: "This is a proud moment for us as we have created a culture where everyone is responsible for school attendance to encourage positive relationships and create a sense of belonging. "Attendance at Maritime Academy is a shared priority and we identify barriers to absence early and support families to work in partnership with us, and we recognise that every minute matters."
Mrs Pullen, Regional Safeguarding Lead (South East) at Thinking Schools Academy Trust, added: "The Inclusive Attendance approach has supported the school in developing and embedding a whole-school approach to attendance. School attendance is not simply an administrative matter; it is a vital part of safeguarding. "Attendance data helps identify where support is needed, enabling schools to respond effectively and improve outcomes for all children."