Attendance support and the school's duties

What a school must do to help before it enforces.

What it is

Statutory attendance guidance expects schools to expect, monitor, listen and understand, facilitate support, and formalise support — in that order — before considering enforcement.

Where it applies

All schools. Every school must have a senior attendance champion and an attendance policy.

How it works

The guidance expects an attendance support meeting where absence is a concern, and an attendance contract as a formal voluntary agreement before any legal step.

Councils must provide attendance support and hold regular meetings with schools about specific pupils.

What you can ask for

Ask for the support meeting and ask what BARRIER the school has identified. A meeting that only restates the percentage has skipped the point of the guidance.

Ask for a written support plan with named actions and a review date.

If the absence relates to disability, health or unmet SEND, say so and ask how that is being addressed — enforcement without addressing it is what gets councils into difficulty.

Where to get help

The school's attendance lead, and Not Fine In School for anxiety-related absence. SENDIASS for free local advice, IPSEA and Contact nationally. where SEND is involved.