Super Attender swooped into Maerdy Primary School this week to celebrate the top attendance record of its pupils!

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Attendance and Wellbeing Mascot went along to the Rhondda Fach school to congratulate those pupils who had achieved top attendance at classes throughout the term.

The children have been part of an Attendance Challenge, organised by Rhondda Housing Association with the support of the Council for pupils in the feeder primary schools of Ferndale Comprehensive.

Its purpose is to reward pupils for excellent attendance and there are plenty of prizes involved for the pupils, their families and their school too!

All six primary schools have been involved in the challenge which offers a wide variety of prizes including a family holiday to the pupils from Year One to Six.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Eudine Hanagan said: “We are very grateful to Rhondda Housing Association for launching such a first-class initiative aimed at raising attendance levels throughout the upper Rhondda Fach.

“We want to provide children in the County Borough with an educational experience that enables them to make the most of the opportunities available to them in adulthood. Tackling truancy and pupil absence is a key part of this.

“The impact of a good education on a community is profound. There is a strong connection between illiteracy and social exclusion for young people and adults. By working with schools, governing bodies and head teachers we will ensure resources available are used to the very best effect to deliver an excellent learning experience in Rhondda Cynon Taf.”

There was an individual prize for 100% attenders with a draw for Argos vouchers worth £50 for each school, these have already been awarded.

The most improved pupils will be entered into a draw to win a DSi games console; the highest attenders (over 95% and above) will be entered in to a family holiday draw worth £500. This will take place at the end of the school term in July. At the end of each term the primary school that has improved the most on last year’s attendance will also receive £300 for an end-of-year party.

Rhondda Housing Association as a socially responsible business decided to organise the competition because the Ferndale Cluster includes the largest percentage of its tenants and properties and we used a specific budget designed to support community initiatives.

Lesley Davies, Chief Executive of Rhondda Housing Association explained, “We are passionate to sustain the communities our customers live in. We wanted to be proactive and work with children at a young age to help increase their educational achievement.

“There is a known link between attendance and educational achievement that paves the way for future employment. The increase in attendance we have seen to date is really positive and we are very pleased to be involved in this initiative. We would like to thank Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and schools for their support”.