School Attendance Week competitions

Schoolpupils are being invited to get creative and enter competitions being held in the run up to Shropshire Council’s School Attendance Week 2011. 

Shropshire secondary school children have the opportunity to enter a photography competition called “Life in school – in it to win it!” 

Pupils are invited to enter photographs which show something about school life, capturing the spirit and character of the entrant’s school.  The winner will receive prizes, which include a class session with a professional photographer and Cineworld tickets. 

Meanwhile county primary school pupils are invited to design a border for a school attendance certificate. 

The certificate will be made available for schools to use as part of their reward schemes for school attendance.  They will also be used by the council’s education welfare service and awarded to pupils who achieve excellent attendance in the academic year 2011 to 2012. The winner will receive an art set. 

All entries will be displayed in the council chamber of the Guildhall in Shrewsbury at the Attendance Week Celebration Event on Friday 14 October 2011. 

Councillor Aggie Caesar-Homden, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for schools, said:

“The entries submitted last year to School Attendance Week competitions were of an extremely impressive standard – and we would encourage children to take part again.  By entering they can help us to highlight the importance of good school attendance.

“Shropshire has excellent attendance figures due to the hard work of parents and carers, pupils, schools and the council.  However, we can always improve and want to ensure that every child has the opportunity to obtain a level of education that will help them to reach their full potential.” 

Recent figures show that Shropshire’s school attendance rates in both primary and secondary schools increased for autumn 2010, putting Shropshire first in a league of similar councils. 

These competitions are part of a series of activities which are taking place in the build up to and during School Attendance Week 2011, run by the council’s education welfare service. School Attendance Week takes place between 10 and 14 October this year, culminating in the celebration event. 

The competitions have been launched and the closing date is 23 September 2011.  All prizes have been kindly donated by local businesses. 

Schools have been contacted with details of the competitions directly.  For more information call the education welfare service on 01743 254397.