Guidance for Schools on Attendance
School Attendance
In order for children to realise their academic potential, it is highly recommended they have attendance of at least 95%.
When children miss school other than when they are ill, not only are they missing out on teaching and learning, they are also missing out on learning essential life skills such as how to interact and communicate with others in a positive social way. Good school attendance is a safeguarding factor in the lives of many children. The Participation Team and schools work together to ensure the children in Hillingdon schools attend school every day. The Participation team can support schools if attendance rates dip.
In order for children to realise their academic potential, it is highly recommended they have attendance of at least 95%.
When children miss school other than when they are ill, not only are they missing out on teaching and learning, they are also missing out on learning essential life skills such as how to interact and communicate with others in a positive social way. Good school attendance is a safeguarding factor in the lives of Looked After Children. Carers, social workers and schools have a joint responsibility to ensure the children in their care attend school every day. They are expected to work together supportively if attendance rates dip. As part of our duty as corporate parent, Hillingdon commissions Welfare Call to contact the school for each of our Looked After Children every day to check that they are attending and, if not, to ascertain the reason why.
Unacceptable reasons for absence
Medical, dental and therapy appointments should be made for out-of-school hours. Holidays may not be taken during term-time and those with parental responsibility may be fined for taking their children on holiday when they should be in school.
Punctuality
Children should be supported to have 100% punctuality to school as missing the start of the school day can cause confusion and anxiety. For example, schools will often use morning assemblies and registration time to give out important notices, to check home-school diaries and to check that pupils have all of the necessary equipment and uniform. Pupils who start late are disadvantaged.
When a child is late before the register closes they will be marked in the school register as being late. If a child arrives after the register closes, the child will be marked as absent. The register is taken in the morning and afternoon, each mark counts as half a day. Lateness can impact an overall attendance figure, as each absence will count.
Attendance | Missing out on | Which means...... | Over 13yrs of schooling is........ |
90% | 1 day per fortnight | 4 weeks per year | Nearly 1.5 years missed |
80% | 1 day per week | 8 weeks per year | Over 2.5 years missed |
60% | 2 days per week | 16 weeks per year (over 1 term) | Over 5 years missed |
40% | 3 days per week | 24 weeks per year | Nearly 8 years missed |
A school's high attendance record is a reflection of school effectiveness and often the result of a robust whole school attendance policy that encompasses a round approach to absenteeism.
Ofsted Inspection Framework recognises that pupils' good attendance is imperative to their achievement and wellbeing. For vulnerable groups absenteeism can be one of early indications of other more serious underlying problems. Poor attendance is also a high risk factor for children and young people who are excluded and those who become NEET.
Therefore, the Council's Participation Team offers a model Attendance Policy Model Attendance Policy 2020 that you may wish to adapt for your setting. Through the SLA, the team provides advice and training to help school develop policy and practice in managing attendance effectively.
While Penalty Notices have their place among a range of measures to tackle poor attendance, there is a need for a rounded approach using a wide range of strategies to improve school attendance. It is one of our priorities to continue to work with schools to improve attendance.
The DfE has published a Social Worker Attendance Toolkit that you may find helpful in discussing the return to school with your families and contains commonly asked questions:-
The Participation Team can only issue Penalty Notices where procedures in the Penalty Notice Protocol amended 2020 (determined) have been adhered to and there is evidence of this.
For Participation Team interventions, please use the Participation Team Referral Form
Children must be educated in school while they are of statutory school age (SSA); that is, between the school term after their fifth birthday and the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16. From age 16 - 18, they must be in some form of education, training or employment; this can include voluntary work, internships and work experience.
