Thematic report |
Attendance in secondary schools - September 2014
This is the first of two reports in response to a request for advice on attendance from the Welsh Government in the annual remit letter to Estyn for 2013-2014 from the Minister for Education and Skills. This report focuses on strategies and actions in secondary schools and local authorities to improve attendance. The second report will focus on strategies and actions in primary schools to improve attendance. The report includes case studies of best practice. It is intended for the Welsh Government, headteachers and staff in schools, local authorities and regional consortia.
Recommendations
Schools should:
- make better use of attendance data to inform their approach to improving the attendance of pupils, particularly those from vulnerable groups, such as persistent absentees, pupils eligible for free school meals, and those with SEN;
- improve teaching and the curriculum offer to maximise pupil engagement and explore approaches such as restorative practice, pupil support centres, peer mentoring and nurture groups;
- strengthen links with external agencies or services that assist in engaging and supporting families;
- engage more with pupils in developing the attendance policy or strategy, for example through school councils;
- ensure that staff receive up-to-date training on issues such as bullying and the needs of vulnerable groups;
- comply with the pupil registration regulations in accurately recording the attendance of pupils educated otherwise than at school and when removing pupils from the roll of the school; and
- ensure that initiatives to improve attendance are thoroughly evaluated.
Local authorities should:
- provide schools with training on understanding and analysing attendance data and clear guidance on the correct use of attendance codes;
- analyse attendance patterns to inform a corporate strategy to improve the attendance of pupils, particularly those from vulnerable groups;
- investigate and challenge the variation in the use of attendance codes;
- improve the knowledge that schools have of relevant national priorities, initiatives and grants;
- identify and share exemplar practice within and beyond consortia boundaries; and
- ensure that school improvement services are aware of and use knowledge held by education welfare services.
The Welsh Government should:
- provide clarity about the responsibility for attendance within local authorities and regional consortia; and
- as part of the attendance analysis framework, continue to provide and publish comprehensive analyses of attendance data for local authorities and regional consortia.