attendance: how are we doing and where do we go now? · attendance: how are we doing and where do...

Attendance: how are we

doing and where do we go now?

Adam Brazier - Senior Coordinator, ESBAS

Kate Owbridge – Executive Headteacher, Ashdown Primary

Attendance: how are we doing

and where do we go now?

• How do compare?

• Safeguarding link

• An example of what can be done – Ashdown Primary

• What is available?

• Table exercise

• What next?

How do we compare?

Headlines for primary phase

• Joint 13th worst persistent absence figures

in England

• Joint 3rd worst overall absence figures in

England

• Joint 3rd highest authorisers of absence in

England

How do we compare nationally?

• Overall absence 5.1% (national average 4.6%)

• Overall absence at primary 4.6% (national

average 4.0%)

• Percentage of pupils who are persistently absent

12.4% (national average 10.5%)

• Percentage of pupils who are persistently absent

at primary 10.2% (national average 8.2%)

How does our overall absence compare

to our statistical neighbours?

How does our persistent absence

compare to our statistical neighbours?



0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

PA Overall %

Overall %



0

2

4

6

8

10

12

PA Pri %

Pri %

• Primary

• Lowest overall absence 2.7%

• Highest overall absence 7.7%

• Lowest persistent absence 0%

• Highest persistent absence 23.2%

Variation within East Sussex

There is a clear link between

attendance and safeguarding

Safeguarding – Serious Case Review

• A serious case review found attendance

procedures contributed

• LSCB recommendation for a working

group

• Highlighted differences in when

intervention started

• Some raise concern at 96%

• Some not until 90% - already persistent

absentee

Improving Attendance

at Ashdown

Kate Owbridge

Executive Headteacher

September 2015

Federation to Amalgamation

Whitehill trend:

Whitehill trend:

2013 94.6 1.7 (-1.9)

2014 95.8 4.4 (+1.6)

2015 95.4 2.0 (-0.7)

Herne trend:

Herne trend:

2013 94.8 6.1 (+2.5)

2014 96.4 3.8 (+1)

2015 96.4 3.1 (+0.4)

September 2015

• Herne Junior and Whitehill infants amalgamation

• Whitehill previous attendance

• Herne previous attendance

• Termly hotspots

• Particular year groups

• Persistent absentees

Policy review November 2015

• Based on County model ...and then some

• Procedures

registration (am and pm)

individual child / family absences

• Targets and special projects

before enrolling a child

chasing absences and PAs (stick)

• Encouragement (carrot)

• Responsibility and accountability


Procedures: • Registration times

registration window

afternoon registration

early pick up

late pick up

• Individual child/family absence

office/parent communication on first day

written confirmation on return

extended leave of absence

GP/dentist non urgent appointments

emergency dental/medical appointments

hospital/clinic appointments

private/alternative health care appointments



registration window


early pick up

late pick up










Targets and special projects:

• Before starting at our school…

prospective parent events

in-year tours

choosing to start school before a child is 5

• Chasing absences and persistent absentees

admin staff telephone

admin staff letters

figures in newsletter and on website

termly reports to SLT

SLT termly meeting

reporting to governors





in-year tours




admin staff letters



SLT termly meeting



Encouragement:

• Good levels of attendance rewarded through:

weekly praise in newsletter

weekly awards at each site per class

termly certificates for children

(bronze, silver, gold) with prizes

end of year awards per year group (£5, £10, £50)

special awards at discretion of SLT

No awards for anything below school target.


Responsibilities • Governing Body

figures given to LA & DfE

request info from HoS or EHT

produce annual report to parents

identify and attend training

• HoS & EHT

promote good attendance

oversee policy implementation

ensure collection of accurate data

develop effective monitoring systems

form positive links with ESBAS

report to governing body

Term dates & attendance

Christmas Holidays and term 3 attendance 2017

Term dates & attendance


Responsibilities • Class teachers

accurate daily electronic registers

communicate concerns to HoS or DSL

promote good attendance and punctuality

maintain positive links with parents

ensuring all notes and messages are to sent to admin team

• Administrative staff

maintain electronic registration system

receive and record telephone communications from parents

assist in collection of data

on and off rolling procedures

casual admissions

maintain staff and pupil attendance information using SIMS

Ashdown

2016 96.0 6.8 (-2)

2017 so far 96.4 4.4 (?)

Table discussion

• Please take 5 minutes to discuss what

you’ve just heard and then Kate will take

any questions that are specific to her

presentation.

What needs to happen?

• Clearly the data is a cause for

considerable concern.

• ESBAS reviewing processes.

ESBAS changes

• Pilot project

• More regular Legal and Intervention panel

meetings

• Increased use of penalty notices (10 in 10)

• Holiday penalty notices post Platt

• Support and consultation meetings

• Press releases

ESBAS changes

• CPD for attendance officers

• Annual attendance conference

• Publicity campaign

• Attendance guidance on good practice

Table activity

On your tables are 3 sheets of paper

• What good practice is there in your

school?

• What are the barriers to improving

attendance?

• What do you plan to take forward following

today?

What will happen next?

• We will collate the information from your

tables and disseminate, either direct to all

delegates or via the SMB

• The attendance guidance will be published

for September

Contact details

• 01273 481967 or [email protected]

• Lewes, Coastal and Wealden – Kate Rosling

• Eastbourne and Hailsham – Vidyu Narayan

• Hastings and Rother – Corinna Human

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

attendance: how are we doing and where do we go now? · attendance: how are we doing and where do...

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