Evidence has shown that tackling absence can be most effective when a number of different approaches are taken by schools to encourage attendance. Environmental factors need to be considered and schools need to respond to their own particular problems in a way that works best for them. Schools should have an attendance policy and communicate processes to all staff, parents, students and the community. Schools will be required to take a balanced approach when dealing with attendance matters. They will need to recognise and be mindful of the impact that COVID may have had on both the pupil and the wider family.
Many attendance issues can be resolved by working with parents and children, and schools need to develop an inclusive approach to meet needs as early as possible and deliver appropriate pastoral support interventions. Schools should communicate frequently with parents about positive achievements and improvements, however small, and in ways which emphasis the responsibility and role of parents to ensure that their child receives an education. Before discussing a student’s poor attendance, we recommend establishing a positive relationship with parents whilst being sensitive of their circumstances and needs as a result of COVID.
It is important to not make assumptions concerning young people who have poor attendance, but instead, communicate with the parents/carers and where appropriate follow the relevant referral routes. Absence due to illness needs to be raised sensitively with pupils and their parents with meetings being offered by the school as a way of intervening early and providing support. Most minor illness are self-limiting and do not require contact with a GP. Medical certification/sicknotes for short term illness is not appropriate and should not be requested as standard school policy. Please be mindful that GP's can charge parents and schools for letters and will decline to offer a sick note/medical certificate as these as for Post 16 only. If schools are unsure or have reason to doubt the absence they can request to see confirmation of the medical appointment/prescription. This should be assessed on a case by case basis, and only requested as appropriate. Please refer to Medical Needs Pathway - link below:
Cambridgeshire Access and Inclusion - Learn Together (cambslearntogether.co.uk)
Where a pupil is unable to attend school because they are complying with clinical and/or public health advice, the DfE expect schools to be able to immediately offer them access to remote education which is monitored for levels of engagement - please see link for DfE guidance for providing remote education Providing remote education: guidance for schools
Where children are not able to attend school as parents are following clinical and/or public health advice, absence will not be penalised.
Schools should have their own thresholds for taking action where attendance becomes a concern. Avoid waiting for a child’s attendance to slip to 90% or below (the persistent absence threshold). All schools should have whole school strategies where specific members of staff are allocated to different levels of attendance and are alert to drops in attendance.
The Attendance Service recommends implementing a step by step process for early intervention prior to referrals to our service for legal sanctions to be applied, please see link for further information of this process:
Parents need to be made aware of their responsibility to ensure that their child attends school regularly.
Schools are expected to develop a graduated response when engaging parents before the Local Authority will consider a referral for more punitive sanctions.
A parent contract meeting is an opportunity for the school and parent/s to discuss a child’s attendance and to review the impact of school interventions thus far offered. It provides the opportunity for parents to discuss more generally any difficulties which the family are having and types of support that may be helpful to them.
