Working Together to Support School Attendance

Members of the Attendance Action Alliance, in partnership with the Department for Education, have developed a short, practical guide to help parents, guardians and carers understand how they can work closely with their child’s school and local authority to support regular school attendance. This guide explains why being in school every day is so important for children’s learning, wellbeing, and development, and outlines the shared responsibilities families and schools have in helping children attend consistently. 

Parents, guardians and carers can learn what to do if their child needs to be absent, what support is available when attendance becomes difficult, and how schools and local councils work together with families to remove barriers to attendance. The guide also provides clear information on the help available for children with long‑term illness, special educational needs, disabilities, or challenges at home or in school that make attending school harder.

It highlights who parents can speak to, how action plans are agreed, what adjustments schools can make, and the steps to take if further help is needed. By working in partnership, families, schools, and local authorities can ensure children receive the support they need to feel safe, confident, and able to attend school regularly.