Pontefract Academies Trust is boosting pupils’ attendance during schools’ exam season through music and dance – and even a teachers’ ‘masked singer’ competition.

May and June can be particularly stressful times in schools when children are preparing for exams so the various academies run by the trust are coming up with innovative ideas to give youngsters an extra incentive for coming into class each day.

At Carleton High, Pontefract, teachers rewarded students with their take on the ‘Masked Singer’ while at Carleton Park Primary the teachers surprised the pupils with a staff flash mob dance in their interpretation of ‘Carleton’s Got Talent’.

Joe Ayre, headteacher at Carleton Park Junior and Infant School, said: “The atmosphere in the school was euphoric. We began with two teachers doing the Cha Cha Slide and as time went on more and more members of staff, including myself, joined the stage to hits like Macarena and Gangnam Style.

Pupils at Carleton High, Pontefract, enjoy a Masked Singer performance from their teachers.

placeholder image — Pupils at Carleton High, Pontefract, enjoy a Masked Singer performance from their teachers.

"The assembly was aimed at improving pupils' growth mindsets and designed to show them that with hard work anything is possible. It is events like these that make our school feel more like a community, a family."

Shaheen Shariff, Headteacher at Carleton High School, added: "In schools it's important that we not only teach our students but also have fun and build positive relationships with them.

"The Masked Singer attendance reward event provided a unique opportunity for our teachers to show their fun and creative side while engaging with students in a fun way.

"Seeing our teachers behind the masks, singing and performing, helped to create a warm and friendly family atmosphere that supports a positive school culture.”

Teachers at Pontefract's Carleton Park Infants and Juniors surprised the pupils with a staff flash mob dance in their interpretation of ‘Carleton’s Got Talent’.

The Trust says evidence shows that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A Level results.

And those students who miss fewer days at school performed better and research shows that secondary school pupils who didn’t achieve grade 9 to 4 in English and maths missed 10 more days on average over the key stage than those who achieved grade 9 to 5 in both English and maths, it added.

The multi-academy trust looks after eight schools, including Carleton High School, Carleton Park Junior and Infant School and The King’s School.