Friday 11 November 2016

Letters home from school ....... nu 1 about attendance

Now I like the way that yesterday’s mundane correspondence becomes today’s piece of history.

So I was pleased when my fiend Ann offered to share some of her school letters and reports.

She attended Whalley Range High School for girls from September 1954 and over the next few days I want to publish some of them.

And I start with a letter which will seem very familiar and could have been written only last term.


It was sent in the July of 1957 and expressed concerns that “we have become increasingly aware that the progress of some girls is hindered by frequent short absence.

We would remind parents that absence can be excused normally only on the grounds of illness of the girl herself, and that a note from the parent giving the reason should be sent on the girl’s return or after three days.”

A full century before and the attendance of many young people in rural raea turned on farming year with many falling out of school to help with the harvest.

And today the debate over prosecuting parents who take their children on holidays in school time rumbles on.

Location; Manchester

Pictures; letter from Whalley Range High School for Girls, 1957, courtesy of Ann Love

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