Beanfield's Principal Mr Leyton Smith said ‘We feel so incredibly happy to have won this award. For years and years we have been one of the low performing schools when it comes to attendance and I think four or five years ago our attendance was around 93% so to move it to 96.6% is a massive accomplishment.

‘We have achieved this in a number of ways. We have an annual attendance competition, with prizes for the winning class and a weekly attendance assembly so that classes know every week what their attendance should be, what it is and what they need to do to improve.

'We have staff visiting homes if students are absent, especially if they are persistent absentees and have a very coherent approach to attendance that runs right the way from Nursery to Year 6 and when you think that our Unit Provision figures are included in our attendance and within the Unit we have some very poorly children that are susceptible to being ill more often than others, it is a real achievement. With attendance at Beanfield everyone in every part of the school has got that as a focus and it is relentless.

‘What I am particularly pleased about is that it shows that our parents and our students want to come to school, enjoy coming to school and they know that school is important and can make a difference to them. It shows a commitment from every single member of staff in the school to get the students in. Attendance is everyone’s job, not just the Attendance Officer. It’s all part of getting the children into school, improving their education and making sure they are safe.’

Director of Education Ms Trish Stringer said ‘I am delighted that Beanfield have come first across the Trust. Attendance is a key indicator of the health and commitment of a school and this follows on from the success that Beanfield had last summer when Ofsted rated the school as ‘Good’ across the board. I have worked in this county for more than 30 years and never in all that time have they been rated as ‘Good’ across all areas.

‘Beanfield has come on such an amazing journey in the last 12 months and there is no doubt in my mind that they are on their way to ‘Outstanding.’ They have such an amazing group of students, the teachers are so incredible and the work and the care that they extend to the students is second to none. The Principal, Mr Smith is a fantastic leader and one that is respected throughout the school amongst all the staff and students. Every time I walk into the school everyone always makes me feel welcome.

‘This attendance award is one of the most important awards that we have ever given out at Trust level because the key thing is students turning up to school. Beanfield is a school on a mission, a school on the move and a school that is going to be hugely successful. We are all incredibly proud of the journey they have come on and are positive that they will just continue to grow. They are a beacon of excellence at every single level.’