Why is good school attendance important for children?
We take absence from school very seriously because the benefits of good attendance for children and young people are significant. School attendance has a direct link to achieving their goals. Those who attend school often, achieve better than those who miss school and have a poor attendance. All moments matter for children and good attendance at school means children do not miss out on vital learning.
As well as improved educational outcomes, we know that attending school regularly provides children with the best start in life.
The benefits of regular attendance at school for children are:
- Children will develop good habits and routines, supporting them to go to school every day.
- For many children, school is a place of security, safety, and belonging.
- Children will receive positive praise and relationships with trusted adults.
- The opportunity to develop social relationships with peers and build friendships.
- Developing a range of skills and positive behaviours which will stay with them into adulthood.
- The opportunity to have fun and try new things.
- Access to pastoral support from school staff.
- Developing healthy attachments and being able to separate from parents.
- Children will develop responsible behaviours.
- Building positive self-esteem and confidence.
- Reduces vulnerability to risk factors such as child exploitation.
The law states that all children of compulsory school age must receive a suitable full-time education and it is important that parents and carers are aware of this and that they take responsibility for making sure that their child attends school regularly and on time. If you need any help or support with attendance, then in the first instance you should speak to your child’s school who can explain to you about what help, and support is available for families.
Who is responsible for what?
It is the legal responsibility of every parent or carer to make sure that their child receives an education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school (such as Elective Home Education).
School
- Build Strong relationships and work jointly with families, listening to and understanding barriers to attendance and working in partnership with families to remove them.
- Develop and maintain a whole school culture that promotes the benefits of high attendance
- Have a clear school attendance policy which all staff, pupils, and parents understand
- Accurately complete admission and, with the exception of schools where all pupils are boarders, attendance registers and have effective day to day processes in place, to follow up absence
- Regularly monitor and anaylse attendance and absence data to identify pupils or cohorts that require support with attendance and put effective strategies in place
- Share information and work collaboratively. with other schools in the area, local authorities, and other partners where the pupil’s absence is at risk of becoming persistent and severe
- Be particularly mindful of pupils absent from school due to mental or physical ill health or they have special educational needs and/or disabilities and provide them with additional support.
Parents
- It is the legal responsibility of every parent or carer to make sure their child receives an education either by attendance at school or by education other than at school
- Where the child is on roll at school, parents and carers are responsible for making sure that their child attends school regularly
- From starting nursery, parents should teach their children the importance of going to school every day, on time
- Good bedtime and morning routines will help children get up and get ready for school every day, on time
- Don't let children take time off for minor ailments. NHS guidance is available to help parents know when to keep their child off school
- Where a child is poorly, parents must let the school know before the start of the school day
- Where possible, parents should make necessary appointments after school, at weekends, or during school holidays
- Take family holidays in school holidays
- Speak to the child's school at the earliest opportunity where there are difficulties
Council
- Rigorously track local attendance data and devise a strategic approach to attendance that prioritises the pupils, pupil cohorts and schools on which to provide support to and focus its efforts on to unblock area wide barriers to attendance
- Have in place a School Attendance Support Team
- Provide communication and advice by regularly bringing schools together to communicate messages, provide advice and share best practice between schools and trust within the area
- Hold termly Targeting Support Meetings with schools, using their attendance data to identify pupils and cohorts at risk of poor attendance and agree targeted actions and access to services for those pupils
- Provide access to Early Help support and provide practical whole family support where needed to tackle the causes of absenteeism and unblock the whole barriers to attendance.
- Take forward attendance legal intervention (using the full range of parental responsibility measures) where voluntary support has not been successful or engaged with.
Who is considered a parent?
By law, a parent is any person who has parental responsibility for the child or who has care of the child, this could include step-parent or another extended family member with whom the child lives.
Enforcement will usually be issued to the parent or parents with day-to-day responsibility for pupil's attendance or the parent or parents who have allowed the absence (regardless or which parent has applied for a leave or absence).
What is the School Attendance Matters Pathway?
This is a way of working in Rotherham between schools, Rotherham Council, and families when school attendance is an issue. The School Attendance Matters Pathway requires schools to consider whether the child or family needs support and how to best put this in place.
The Early Help Assessment is a tool used in Rotherham by all agencies who work with children and families to provide Early Help support. It helps us work with families to understand what support is needed and agree what this will look like. The Early Help Assessment and plan can be completed by any professional working with a child and family, for example a school, health professional, or an Early Help Worker. This will help family and professionals to work together to address barriers to school attendance and other issues the family may be experiencing.
Enforcement will only happen in Rotherham if the School Attendance Matters Pathway has been followed appropriately. If parents and carers refuse support or if the absence is for an unauthorised term time holiday, the School Attendance Matters Pathway must still be followed.
What is an Early Help Assessment and plan?
The Early Help Assessment is a document, that captures what we are worried about and what is working well within families. It is used as a way of supporting families who may need extra help. Issues with school attendance is one of the reasons for offering a family support through the Early Help Assessment. We understand that sometimes families experience difficulties and may need a helping hand. The Early Help Assessment will help in documenting the issues that are affecting family life, resulting in poor school attendance and once this is completed a plan of support is developed with the family to help.
The Early Help Assessment and plan can be completed by any professional working with a child and family, for example school, a health professional, or an Early Help Worker. This will help family and professionals to work together to address barriers to school attendance and other issues the family may be experiencing.
How can parents get support?
In the first instance parents and carers should speak to their child’s school so that they can provide support and explain what is happening. Schools will be able to speak to parents about support through an Early Help Assessment and plan.
As well as schools, there are a lot of services who work with children and families and who can provide information, advice, and support. For more information about all of these services please see the following websites:
Rotherham Family Hubs and Best Start in Life – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
What is enforcement action?
The Council takes poor school attendance very seriously, and enforcement action will be taken if a child’s attendance does not improve, or if a child has an unauthorised leave of absence in term time. School’s will follow the School Attendance Matters Pathway and will make a referral to the Council for enforcement action to take place.
An Education Supervision Order is a court order made in the Family Court, which gives the Council a supervisory role over a child’s education. When an Education Supervision Order is made, the child’s parents are legally required to comply with any directions the court makes under the Education Supervision Order. If parents do not comply with the Education Supervision Order, they can be prosecuted.
A referral to the Magistrates Court for prosecution. This could result in a fine of up to £2,500, an order to do unpaid work or imprisonment of up to 3 months.
In some cases, it may also be necessary to refer to Children’s Social Care.
National Framework for Fixed Penalty Notices
From 19th August 2024 the Government have introduced a new National Framework for Penalty Notices. Under the National Framework all schools will be required to consider a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) when a child has missed 10 or more sessions for unauthorised reasons in 10 school weeks. Each school day has 2 sessions, AM and PM, meaning 10 sessions could be 5 full school days or 10 half days.
In the majority of cases, schools and the Council will try and provide support to help you improve your child’s attendance first, but if this isn’t effective, or if the absence is for an unauthorised term time holiday, parents may receive an FPN. FPN’s are used as an alternative to prosecution.
The National Framework for Penalty Notices sets out that a maximum of 2 FPN’s per child, per parent can be issued within a rolling 3-year period. If the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) within 3 years, another tool will be used.
- First FPN in a 3-year period: £160 per parent, per child to be paid within 28 days. Reduced to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days
- Second FPN in a 3-year period: £160 per parent, per child to be paid within 28 days
- Third occasion in a 3-year period: A FPN will not be issued, and the Council will consider alternative enforcement
School attendance guidance and legislation
Working together to improve school attendance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Education Act 1996 (legislation.gov.uk)
Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)
Rotherham Code of Conduct
To comply with Human Rights legislation, it is essential that Fixed Penalty Notices are issued in a consistent manner. The Code of Conduct governs the issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices in respect of poor school attendance and unauthorised holidays or leave of absence taken in term-time.