City & County of Swansea

ATTENDANCE POLICY2008-2011

INTRODUCTION

Regular attendance is essential to ensure that children and young people have the opportunity to maximise their individual potential. Research suggeststhat there is a strong link between attendance and achievement. It also indicates that some young people who regularly miss school not only risk disengagement and underachievement but may also be drawn into anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.

The LEA recognises that a commitment to raising levels of attendance and promoting the educational achievements of all children and young people in the City & County of Swansea requires a range of activities and processes to take place. Education Welfare Officers carry out the LEA’s statutory duties in relation to attendance and work closely with schools to resolve attendance problems.

This document outlines the key priorities underpinning the policy and national and local contexts. It also states the key responsibilities of the LEA, schools and parents/carers in ensuring regular attendance at school.

STATUTORY FRAMEWORK

The LEA has a statutory responsibility to enforce the regular school attendance of registered pupils of compulsory school age. The relevant legislation is:

The Education Act 1996

The Children Act 1989

Children and Young Persons Act 1933

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

LOCAL AND NATIONAL FRAMEWORK

National Assembly for WalesCircular 47/2006 “Inclusion and Pupil Support”

National Behaviour and Attendance Review 2008

Children and Young People’s Plan 2008-2011

Education Department Plan 2008-2011

Education Inclusion Service Plan 2008-2011

Behaviour Support Plan

Inclusion Policy

The overarching plan in the local context is the Children and Young People’s (CYP) Plan 2008-2011.

The CYP Plan Priorities are:

  1. Improving attainment, skills levels and employment opportunities.
  2. Promoting health and well-being and reducing risk behaviours.
  3. Improving opportunities for children and young people in poverty.
  4. Meeting the needs of specific groups.
  5. Integrated service delivery and providing more accessible services.
  6. Engaging children and young people in decision making.
  7. Workforce development.

The CYP Plan Core Aims are:

  1. Flying start
  2. Education and learning opportunities
  3. Health, freedom from abuse and exploitation
  4. Play, sport, leisure and culture
  5. Participation in decision making
  6. A safe home and community
  7. Not disadvantaged by poverty.

PRINCIPLES

The LEA’s Inclusion Policy underpins and informs the Attendance Policy.

In particular, the LEA believes that partnership between parents, schools and the LEA is essential to achieve good attendance.

LEA RESPONSIBILITIES

The City & County of Swansea is committed to improving school attendance as part of the broader strategy to raise standards. Attendance will remain a priority to ensure that children and young people are given the chance to achieve.

In the context of the Authority’s long-term vision, the Education Directorate will work with schools and parents/carers to:

  • To give a clear strategic lead to schools.
  • Ensure that attendance rates are high and continually improving.
  • Reduce unauthorised absence.
  • Have in place effective systems to monitor attendance at individual, school and Authority level.
  • Have an effective strategy for promoting regular school attendance which is well integrated into all relevant key plans.
  • Support schools so that each has individual attendance targets.
  • Support the attendance of specific and/or vulnerable groups (e.g. looked after children (LAC), young offenders, young carers and traveller children).
  • Effectively monitor attendance data and rapidly address identified weaknesses.
  • Provide targeted support to schools to improve attendance based on a clear analysis of need and transparent criteria.
  • Provide guidance to schools on managing attendance and support the dissemination of good practice.
  • Ensure that parents comply with the requirements of legislation in relation to attendance.
  • Support schools, young people and their families in addressing specific attendance and welfare issues.

SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES
  • To meet legal responsibilities in relation to admissions and deletions from the official register and the accurate recording of absence in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995 (amended by the Education Pupil Registration [Amendment] Regulations 1997.
  • To conduct registration at the beginning of each school day and once in the afternoon session.
  • To have in place effective systems and procedures for encouraging regular school attendance.
  • To monitor the attendance of pupils and work in partnership with parents/carers and Education Welfare Officers to address non-attendance and/or unauthorised absence.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
  • A parent, whether one parent, both parents or the child’s carer, is responsible for making sure that their child of compulsory school age receives efficient full-time education that is suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs the child may have. (Section 7 Education Act 1996).
  • A parent needsto work closely with their child’s school to support the school’s efforts to maximise the child’s potential.
  • Parents should ensure regular school attendance and communicate with school when absences occur in accordance with school policy.

MONITORING AND REVIEW

This policy, and attendant strategy, will be monitored and reviewed via the work of the Behaviour Support Plan Implementation Group.

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