“It is clear that there are still far too many children missing out on significant portions of their education. Although there are signs of improvement in some areas, the rates of persistent and severe absence remain a real concern. We welcome the fact that the Secretary of State is making attendance a priority, and it’s vital that we return to the basic expectation of every child attending every day of school wherever possible. This is so important in developing good habits and establishing vital rhythms and routines for all young people.
“Nobody wants higher attendance rates more than school leaders. They put a huge amount of time and effort into this, often without having access to the attendance officers, mental health workers and other specialist staff they need. We need to accept that schools cannot solve this issue on their own and must set out clear expectations and plans for parents, government, schools and other agencies to work together in the best interests of young people. This must be backed with funding to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the system for all children to get any additional support they require to be able to attend school on a regular basis. Without investing in a strategic response to this issue, it is difficult to see how attendance rates are going to change at the scale required.”