As the new term starts for millions of pupils, the Department of Education launches new and innovative measures to improve attendance and support families where there are barriers to attending school.
"All the evidence shows that being in school is vital for helping pupils achieve their potential. That is why it is so important for them to attend every day they possibly can."
As part of the new measures, schools are being advised to work with councils to support families where there is a barrier to attending school, considering targeted family support or home visits.
To tackle non-attendance due to factors such as bullying or mental health, the Department for Education is launching a three- year 1-2-1 attendance mentoring programme. This will be piloted in Middlesbrough later this year, and expanded to other areas of the country next year. This measure will support severly absent pupils over the three-year period.
A powerful new attendance data visualisation tool is also being launched, expected later in September, the tool will provide ongoing transparency and improved potential for insight and analysis, helping to spot and respond to issues.
According to the government, evidence shows that students with the highest rate of attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A Level results. Hence, there is renewed focus on maximising attendance rate at schools.
To find out more about the Department of Education's guidance to tackle low attendance, visit: gov.uk/news/attendance