Improving attendance: guidance for academies

Introduction

This area identifies effective practice that Academies may wish to adopt when considering attendance policy and practice.

Developing a policy

Policy and procedure that have been drawn up in consultation with all stakeholders are likely to be successful in practice when they draw on the experience and effective practice of other settings in similar circumstances.

Pupils, carers, student councils, service providers, governing bodies and school staff have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to offer. The features and exemplars below are intended to provide a foundation, but should be amended and extended by individual schools in light of local circumstances and needs.

Academy attendance policy

It is important to have a brief statement outlining the Academy’s aims with regard to attendance that can be easily understood, remembered and owned by all members of the school community. This statement should:

• emphasise the inextricable link between school attendance, effective teaching and learning, standards and all of the Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes with particular reference to pupil safety and wellbeing
• be explicit that the goal is to ensure all pupils achieve their full potential in a learning environment where they feel safe, happy, accepted and included.

A sample attendance policy can be found here.

Information about Every Child Matters can be found here.

The link between attendance and standards

Policy and practice should aim to maximise attendance and make pupils, families and carers fully aware of the direct correlation between high levels of attendance, high levels of attainment and the impact on future employment. In 2005–06, over 85% of pupils who had fewer than 7.5 days of absence achieved level 2 including English and mathematics. Where that level of absence doubled to 15 days, the proportion of pupils achieving level 2 including English and mathematics fell to 27%. Where pupil attendance fell to less than 90%, only 17% achieved level 2 including English and mathematics.

Pupils who attend the most achieve the most. Attendance is essential if young people are to achieve their potential. Attendance is the foundation of equality of opportunity, and has a direct impact on attainment. Data shows that there is a link between qualifications and earnings. Generally pupils who leave school without any qualifications earn only half as much as those who go on to gain a higher education qualification.

Academies should analyse their own data linking attendance and attainment, particularly for vulnerable groups and to identify under-performance in subject departments. (For further details see the attendance vs attainment charts in the Improving attendance and reducing persistent absence manual.)