SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1950, 11 March 1919, Page 3

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

The head teacher reported at last night School Committee meeting re attendance a.s follows: —

The school opened on February 4th, with n nominal roll of 411, which, of course, included many names which wci*e to be removed at the beginning- of the new year, amongst these being (he old St. VI. pupils who were leaving either for secondary education or to go to work. Pupils admitted number 38, while (if) names were removed, including 27 cx-St. VI. pupils. The present roll stands at 380. I have every hope of the roll reaching 400 with the entry of the infants as they become of age. The average attendance lias been well maintained, the numbers for the five weeks being 358.5, 357.3, 308.2, 308.7, 305.8. The percentage of attendance for the various classes has been very high, despite the almost intolerable conditions during the recent hot spell. For the last two weeks they read as follows: —Primer L, 95 and 99 per cent,; Primer IT., 91 and 91 per cent.; Primer 111., 90 and 90; Primer IV., 97 and 90; St. 1., 94 and 97; St. IT., 90 and 90; St. 111., 95 and 94; St. IV., 90 and 94; St. V., 98 and 98; St. VI., 90 and 99. The splendid results indicate many things—almost entire absence of sickness, a conscientious desire on the part of the parents to give the children every opportunity to make up for serious hindrances we have encountered, as well as indicating a growing parental recognition of the value of education to the child, I can assure the parents we appreciate their endeavours to keep the children regular. We need to maintain an average attendance of 301 for this year to retain our present grade, VI). So far the attendance

has averaged above that, but the margin is not sufficiently great to allow for a fall during winter.