The visit followed St Anne’s recent recognition by the Department for Education as a higher-performing school for attendance through its Similar Schools report. For the academy, the recognition is a powerful reflection of the work taking place every day to build a culture where students feel known, supported and expected in school.
During the visit, Mrs Blundell met with Headteacher Chris Heyes, Deputy Headteacher Andrew Chapman, representatives from Etio, and students who have taken part in the DfE Attendance Mentoring Pilot Expansion programme.
At St Anne’s, this specialist mentoring sits alongside the academy’s wider approach to attendance, pastoral care, family engagement and school culture.
Speaking during the visit, Mrs Blundell said:
“I’ve had a fantastic day at St Anne’s. I’ve been so glad to be invited into school today. It’s been a real pleasure to meet some of the pupils, the staff, and everyone involved with the mentoring programme.”
School leaders explained that the progress at St Anne’s has been built through a whole-school approach, rather than attendance being seen as the responsibility of one team or one system.
Andrew Chapman, Deputy Headteacher and Attendance lead, said:
“At St Anne’s, over the last few years, our attendance has really improved, and that’s because we look at attendance holistically. It’s not just about the systems we have in place. It’s about the culture of the school. It’s about what we do, and it’s about everyone taking responsibility.”
The role of parents and carers was also highlighted as a key part of the school’s approach.
They added:
“Without parent and carer support, young people would not attend regularly. We really value the support that parents and carers give us and the close partnership working. As we build those relationships over the years, we find that students are better able to attend regularly, overcome barriers and work with us to achieve positive outcomes.”
Etio representatives Jude Yoxall and Andrew Zallmann also spoke about the impact of the Attendance Mentoring Pilot Expansion programme and the strength of the partnership with St Anne’s.
Jude Yoxall, Regional Director at Etio said:
“What we’ve found with St Anne’s is almost a perfect model of collaboration. Staff have been so on board in embracing the programme. Our ethos and way of working coincides brilliantly with the way St Anne’s already works with its families and communities.”
They explained that students often need time to build trust, but once that trust is established, the mentoring relationship can help improve engagement, communication and confidence.
The visit also gave students the chance to speak directly with their local MP about their experiences of school and the support available to them.
Reflecting on the visit, Mrs Blundell said:
“I’m really glad to see that leaps and bounds have been made when it comes to pupils’ attendance here. I’ve been so impressed with all the different things the school has put in place to improve pupils’ attendance, and with the pupils themselves for all they are doing to make sure they are in the classroom, learning, attending school and arriving ready to learn.”
The visit marks another positive moment for St Anne’s Academy, following its DfE recognition for attendance, its strongest GCSE outcomes, continued improvements in behaviour and culture, and its most recent Ofsted judgement of ‘Good’ in all areas.
For Cranmer Education Trust, the visit is a powerful example of how schools, families, partners and civic leaders can work together to improve outcomes for young people and create stronger opportunities for the communities they serve.
