School Attendance Update
Ofsted Securing good attendance and tackling persistent absence
On 7th February 2022 Ofsted published a short report that looked at different aspects of attendance and how schools tackle the challenges they face.
Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman said there was "no doubt that schools continue to face some very tricky challenges around pupil attendance". She summarised that schools that have improved or maintained high attendance levels during the pandemic through a principle of “Listen, Understand, Empathise and Support- but do not tolerate”.
There were seven approaches that schools can use to promote attendance in any setting:
- Communicating high expectations
The report stresses the importance of having high expectations for every pupil's attendance at school and communicating these expectations clearly, strongly and consistently to both parents and pupils. Communicating with parents without paying equal attention to communicating with pupils is unlikely to be successful in securing good attendance at school.
- Leaders setting a positive tone
Some heads emphasised the importance of the leadership team having a positive presence in the school. Leaders wanted to be out in the playground or at the front of the school to greet pupils at the start of the school day. They emphasised how this first interaction of the day must be a positive one and not "someone barking at them about uniform or being late".
- Explaining why good attendance is important
Schools should explain to parents and pupils why good attendance is important and how it helps pupils to achieve.
- Listening to parents
Schools should listen to parents carefully to find out why their children are not attending so that they can act accordingly. This means both challenging parents who do not make sure that their children attend and offering support where needed. By listening, schools told Ofsted they found that sometimes problems can be solved easily.
- Ensuring attendance is recorded and analysed
The report states that ensuring attendance is always recorded accurately and analysed for patterns and trends helps target action - both for individuals and at a whole-school level. In schools that are systematically removing barriers to attendance, pupils' anxieties are not dismissed but are also sensitively analysed. It says schools will question if this is a mental health issue that needs serious action or a worry that can be alleviated by some discussion or adjustments.
- Linking attendance to school curriculum and ethos
Ofsted says there is a relationship between "attendance and the quality of the school's curriculum, ethos, behaviour and inclusivity". The report highlights the importance of a school ethos on attendance. One primary school leader said: "Kids should feel safe and happy when they come to school."
- Not being content to reach national average
Successful schools do not stop pushing for whole-school improvement once attendance reaches the national average, "Rather they see the process of securing good attendance as an ongoing process that is never finished."
Ms Spielman said headteachers who have successfully improved attendance at their schools understand the importance of making their school "a safe place where pupils really want to be", and they "also seek to understand what is stopping individual pupils from attending regularly and they put the right support in place to help solve the problem".
The full report can be found at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/securing-good-attendance-and-tackling-persistent-absence/securing-good-attendance-and-tackling-persistent-absence
School attendance: Improving consistency of support
The DfE consultation is still open and is seeking views on what should be included in measures to improve the consistency of school attendance support and management. There are 4 proposals linked to the following areas:
- School attendance policies
- LA attendance services
- Introduction of a national framework for the use of attendance legal intervention
- Leave of Absence
The consultation closes on 28th February 2022.
https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-attendance-policy-and-strategy-team/school-attendance-improving-consistency-of-support/
COVID-19 Attendance Advice
If you have any specific questions about COVID-19 related absence, please feel free to email the Warwickshire Attendance Service:
was@warwickshire.gov.uk