Child Safe & Wellbeing

Every Minute Matters: The Real Impact of Arriving Late to School

Over recent weeks, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in the number of students arriving late to school. While the odd late morning might not seem like a big deal, consistent late arrivals add up, and they impact far more than just the start of the day.

When children arrive late, they miss essential routines and learning time. They often begin their day feeling rushed, unsettled, or disconnected from their peers. This can lead to gaps in understanding, a lack of readiness for learning, and increased nervousness, all of which build up over time. Arriving even 10 minutes late each day equates to over 30 hours of lost learning per year. That’s nearly a full week of school missed.

We promote high attendance and punctuality because we know it makes a real difference. It’s not just about being here; it’s about ensuring every child has equitable access to learning, every single day, on the same footing as their peers.

We encourage all families to make it a priority to arrive or drop off by 8:35am. This allows time for your child to greet their friends, settle in, and walk into class calmly and ready to learn. Those few extra minutes in the morning set the tone for the day ahead, socially, emotionally, and academically.

Let’s work together to break the cycle of late arrivals and make sure every student gets the best start to their day, every day. Please refer to the visual below as a way of understanding how low attendance can imact a student over a longer period of time.