Do secondary schools look at pupil's primary school attendance?

[OliveKisses]

Just need help settling an argument. I need to know if secondary schools look at a potential pupil's primary school attendance when considering them for a place? Or is it purely based on location, siblings in the school etc.

Thank you!

I doubt it very much.

Yes they look at attendance, no it isn't a factor in offering a place (in state) obviously different in independent.

Every school has to publish its admissions criteria online so you'll be able to show they don't.

No.

They follow their admissions policy which is normally actually put into practice by the local authority.

They follow their admissions criteria. I have never heard of that including attendance record at primary for state schools anyway. After they have given them a place they will get info from the primary school about the pupils.

From the Admissions Code - schools must not take account of reports from previous schools about behaviour or attendance.

No, they don't.

Once a kid starts at the school, they'll have the attendance figures via file transfer, so they'll be able to see that somebody has historically low attendance and potentially look closely at the first tummyache or headaches, and over the May-July transition period, the primary will be able to share their concerns about attendance, etc, but, no, you don't get the information prior to an offer being made and it's therefore impossible to have any influence upon a decision to offer a place.

You make it sound like there are people in a wood panelled smoke filled common room pouring over secondary school applications.

Now John is in the choir but he did go to the dentist one Thursday afternoon in April,

I wish it was!

Reality is nearer working in a converted cupboard with Year 9 having an impromptu Carol Concert next door whilst the supply teacher is still looking for the cover work, using a computer older than any child in the school and swearing quietly at the LA admissions portal for being one of the most counterintuitive, annoying and pointless systems they've ever had the misfortune of encountering.