The Importance of Good School Attendance

Regular school attendance is essential for children’s academic achievement, wellbeing, social development and future opportunities. Good attendance helps children to:

• Build strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics
• Develop friendships and social skills
• Improve confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing
• Establish positive routines and habits for later life
• Achieve their full potential academically and personally

Research consistently shows a strong link between attendance and attainment. Even missing a small amount of school can affect a child’s progress. Children who attend school regularly are more likely to feel connected, secure and successful.

The Department for Education (DfE) states that school attendance is everyone’s responsibility and that schools, families, local authorities and communities should work together to promote excellent attendance.

Government Guidance on Attendance

The main statutory guidance for schools in England is:
“Working Together to Improve School Attendance” published by the Department for Education.

The guidance emphasises:

• Early identification of attendance concerns
• Building positive relationships with families
• Providing support before legal intervention is considered
• Maintaining a culture where good attendance is valued

Schools are expected to:

• Monitor attendance closely
• Follow up unexplained absences promptly
• Work with families where attendance becomes a concern
• Support pupils who are persistently absent
• Promote a whole-school culture of attendance

Persistent and Severe Absence

The DfE defines:

• Persistent absence as attendance below 90%
• Severe absence as attendance below 50%

Persistent absence can significantly affect children’s learning, confidence and long-term outcomes. Schools are encouraged to identify concerns early and work collaboratively with families to remove barriers to attendance.

Parents’ Legal Responsibilities

Under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, parents have a legal duty to ensure their child receives a suitable education and attends school regularly.

Schools may authorise absence in limited circumstances, such as:

• Illness
• Medical appointments
• Religious observance
• Exceptional circumstances approved by the headteacher

Family holidays during term time are generally not authorised.

Penalty Notices for Unauthorised Absence

From August 2024, the government introduced a new national framework for penalty notices in England.

A penalty notice may be considered when a child has:

• 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school-week period.

This can include:

• Unauthorised term-time holidays
• Repeated lateness after registers close
• Other unauthorised absences

Current Penalty Notice Charges

For a first offence:

• £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days
• Increasing to £160 if paid within 28 days

For a second offence within three years:

• £160 per parent, per child with no reduced payment option

A third offence within three years may result in prosecution rather than another fine. Parents could face:

• A fine of up to £2,500
• A parenting order
• A criminal record in some cases

The government guidance also stresses that penalty notices should usually be used as a last resort after support has been offered to families.

Working Together with Families

Strong partnerships between home and school are vital in promoting excellent attendance. Schools should:

• Communicate clearly with parents
• Offer support where barriers exist
• Celebrate and encourage good attendance
• Ensure children feel safe, happy and motivated to attend school

Parents and carers play a crucial role by:

• Establishing good routines
• Ensuring children arrive on time each day
• Avoiding unnecessary absence
• Communicating concerns with school promptly

Excellent attendance gives children the very best chance to succeed both academically and socially.

---