Department of Education guidance
Below are links to key guidance documents. It is important that the Headteacher, Attendance Lead and Governing Board familiarise themselves with the guidance and recognise the implications for school policy and practice.
Managing pupil attendance guidance
- Working together to improve school attendance (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Summary table of responsibilities for school attendance (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- School behaviour and attendance: parental responsibility measures – GOV.UK
- Share your daily school attendance data – GOV.UK
Attendance and health guidance
- Education for children with health needs who cannot attend school – GOV.UK
- Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Mental health issues affecting a pupil’s attendance: guidance for schools – GOV.UK
Safeguarding guidance
- Keeping children safe in education – GOV.UK
- Working together to safeguard children – GOV.UK
- Children missing education – GOV.UK
Miscellaneous Guidance
- Equality Act 2010: guidance – GOV.UK
- The Independent School Standards :: Independent Schools Inspectorate (isi.net)
- Alternative provision – GOV.UK
- School suspensions and permanent exclusions – GOV.UK
Ofsted guidance
Local Experiences of Ofsted Inspections
Data
Schools are expected to be able to show evidence of their monitoring and analysis of longitudinal and comparative Attendance Data. In short, you should be able to prove that your school regularly extracts and analyses the Attendance Data of the whole school and Disadvantaged Pupils (at both Overall and PA levels) in comparison with:
- Historical School Data (i.e. how does the school’s current attendance compare with previous periods of time etc.)
- Local and National Trends (via latest National Published Attendance Data)
Once you have analysed the Data, the expectation is that this Data is then used to inform and guide your Attendance Management Practice.
Make sure that you can evidence your support/challenge in managing Pupil Attendance (especially your Disadvantaged Pupils).
Do you have documented evidence of your schools processes and procedures in managing your School’s Attendance (Escalation Process)?
Do you have evidence that doing the above enables you to demonstrate the impact of your school actions?
Disadvantaged Pupils
This is a key area of focus at this moment in time. Even schools with good Overall Whole School Attendance data have had Ofsted really drill into the Disadvantaged Pupil Data. Make sure that you can evidence:
- That you regularly monitor and analyse (suggested on a half termly basis) your Disadvantaged Pupil Attendance Data.
- That your School Disadvantaged Pupil Attendance Data is analysed at an Overall Attendance and a Persistent Absentee level. Ofsted are particularly keen on investigating the support/challenge offered to your Disadvantaged Pupils who are also Persistently Absent.
As a priority, schools should be able to evidence the interventions that they have put in place to support/challenge their Disadvantaged Pupils who are Persistently Absent.
B and D Coding
Schools are being asked to explain their use of the B Code to ensure that it is used correctly and in line with Department of Education Guidance.
Post Registration Truancy (Secondary Schools)
Following reported events in Rotherham where Disadvantaged Pupils were registering and then leaving the school site, schools are expected to be able to evidence that they have a process in place to assist the early identification and subsequent management of instances of Post Registration Truancy.
Part time timetables and DCC guidance
Schools must ensure that Part Time Timetables are only ever used as a last resort, reviewed regularly and only used for a time limited period. Restricting a student’s access to their legal entitlement of a full-time education is a serious decision that needs to be justifiable. In cases where the school feels that a temporary Part Time Timetable is absolutely necessary, the school must inform the Local Authority (through the Annexe R notification).
Are any Part Time Timetables within your school absolutely necessary?
Is the Annexe R used? Has a Pastoral Support Plan been completed and signed by parents?