“School leaders will recognise many of the issues raised in this report, from the challenge of dealing with term-time holidays, to the long waiting lists for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and other external agencies.
“We agree that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the way forward, and school leaders must be free to tailor policies to the needs and characteristics of their cohort. Appropriate rewards and sanctions have their part to play, but individualised support that quickly identifies why a pupil is absent from school, and helps them to return to the classroom as soon as possible, can be hugely effective. As this report acknowledges however, this has major workload implications for overstretched school staff.
“There needs to be a strategic response from the government to the growing problem of pupil absence, and schools must be provided with the tools they need to tackle this. We completely agree with the NFER on the need to increase funding for attendance and pastoral support in schools, and for further investment in external mental health and family support services. It’s crucial that we build up a network of support that allows schools, parents and external agencies to work together to ensure that all children and young people get any additional help they need to enjoy a complete and fulfilling education.”