Persistent absence
Children who have attendance at 89% or below are considered to be persistently absent. There is potential at this point to consider legal intervention once all other avenues of support have been explored.
Schools should consider:
- complete an early help assessment
- consider a TAC
- consider whole family support especially if factors are impacting on more than one child’s attendance
- review pastoral support increasing family and child contact if appropriate
- keep detailed chronology of visits, contacts and outcomes
- ensure parents are fully informed of the consequences of non attendance focusing on the detrimental impact on child’s achievement and wellbeing as well as the legal implications
- consider a parenting contract or education supervision order if appropriate
- consider a Fixed Penalty Notice if absence is linked to family holiday that has been unauthorised
- consider submitting a legal report if attendance is not improving and unlikely to even if level of support is increased
For children on CiN or CP plan, or are CiC:
- attendance is feature of plan meetings and actions of plan and their impact on attendance is discussed
For children with special needs, medical needs or an EHCP:
- attendance is a feature of any needs review meeting and impact of needs not being met on attendance is discussed