The DfE guidance “working together to improve school attendance” became statutory on 19th August 2024. This replaces all previous guidance and provides information about interventions available to address pupils’ poor attendance, pupil registers and attendance codes.
The Department has published a very slightly updated version of the above guidance. There are no policy changes in the document, but additional clarification has been provided in a small number of areas following feedback from schools. The updates are outlined here. This guidance should be read alongside the statutory guidance document on parental responsibility measures.
The attendance network meetings will continue this academic year, all attendance leads will receive an invitation to an initial virtual meeting in the coming days
The updated request for EWO support, which replaces our previous referral form, is available here.
Penalty Notices
New legislation came into force on 19th August 2024 regarding the issue of penalty notices to address attendance concerns. This new legislation will take effect for absences recorded from the start of the new academic year commencing in September 2024.
There is a new “National Framework” which introduces consistency in the use of Penalty Notices across England by introducing a new national threshold at which they are considered. This will be met when a pupil has been recorded as absent for 10 sessions ( 5 school days) within a rolling period of 10 school weeks
Northumberland County Council’s Penalty Notice Code of Conduct is here. It has been updated in line with the new national threshold for the issuing of penalty notices. Please read the guidance carefully before submitting requests.
The request for a penalty notice form is here along with sample letters (here and here)for your use with updated information on the issuing of penalty notices. Please ensure the information regarding penalty notices is made fully available to parents.
Registration Codes
Maintained schools and academies will need to implement some changes to how they record attendance from the 19th of August 2024 to align with new guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). The changes to the Working Together to improve attendance guidance, aim to provide a clearer understanding of student engagement and absence and include updated attendance codes for the 24/25 academic year.
The key changes in attendance codes are outlined here.
Deletion from roll returns
From September 2024 schools must notify the local authority when a pupil’s name is deleted from the school admission register outside of standard transition times. A form for you to complete which includes all of the information that needs to be provided to the LA is available here. If you remove a child from roll can you please complete the attached for and return to: educationwelfare@northumberland.gov.uk
Sickness Return
The LA has statutory duties under section 19 of the Education Act 1996. The s.19(1) duty states that local authorities are responsible for arranging suitable and (normally) full-time education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not receive suitable education without such provision. This duty is referred to as ‘the s.19 duty’
From September 2024 Schools must provide the local authority with the full name and address of all pupils of compulsory school age who have been recorded with code I (illness) and who the school has reasonable grounds to believe will miss 15 days consecutively or cumulatively because of sickness. Only one sickness return is required for a continuous period of sickness in a school year. This is to help the school and local authority to agree any provision needed to ensure continuity of education for pupils who cannot attend because of health needs, in line with the statutory guidance on Children with Health needs who cannot attend school.
To avoid any unnecessary burdens for schools this information should always be automatic from school registers, and you are not required to provide any additional manual data collection/returns. This information can be shared via your EWO or emailed to educationwelfare@northumberland.gov.uk.
We strongly recommend that schools add this information into their attendance policy and make it clear to parents what will happen when their children have health needs and have or will miss 15 days of school.
Children Missing Education (CME)
The monthly multi-agency tracking panel will continue this academic year, to ensure that children missing from education are identified and appropriately safeguarded, and that we can track and then re-engage them in education
Schools, alternative providers, and other agencies have a responsibility to inform the local authority via a monthly CME return of any children either missing or at risk of missing out on education. This should be completed and submitted to cmemonthlyreturn@northumberland.gov.uk no later than the 30th of every month. Each child that meets the criteria needs to be reported every month.
A guidance document for schools, partner agencies, parents and carers about CME is here.
When you report children who are receiving suspensions the current criteria is 6 sessions within the month however from September 2024 they only need to be reported once they hit 10 sessions at any point in the year, they then will remain on the return for the rest of the academic year.
The forms should be checked by the schools Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) prior to submission. Your Education Welfare Officer (EWO) will provide you with the support you need to complete the form accurately and on time.
Elective Home Education (EHE)
The updated EHE guide for parents is here, and our EHE school information form here. A reminder that the school information form should be completed by DSLs, and ideally a conversation with your allocated EWO or myself prior to a child being removed from roll.
If you have any queries about any of the above, please contact Sarah Wintringham via sarah.wintringham@northumberland.gov.uk
