Pupil and Family Support

Access and Attendance Team

The Access and Attendance Team works with all schools to advise on attendance management issues and to take referrals on pupils who attend irregularly.

Officers are allocated to schools within a clear system of time allocation and work in primary and secondary teams. The time allocation system is reviewed on an annual basis in order to ensure that the service is reflective of the need presented by individual schools.

Access and Attendance Officers visit parents and pupils in their homes and undertake assessments of the causes of poor school attendance and then identify strategies and action plans to resolve difficulties and improve school attendance.

The service also operates strategically within schools by making use of attendance data and focusing resources within school on the areas with the most significant attendance concerns.

In situations where parents fail to ensure regular school attendance, the Access and Attendance Team will consider issuing a Fixed Penalty Notice - £50 payable within 28 days, rising to £100 payable within 42 days. Non-payment will result in prosecution.

The Access and Attendance Team will pursue prosecutions in Magistrates Court and where appropriate, Parenting Orders in order to support parents and families with specific issues that have led to inadequate parenting and erratic school attendance.

The service can also pursue Education Supervision Orders on pupils of school age who refuse to comply with the reasonable boundaries and expectations set by parents, school and local education authority.

The Principal Access and Attendance Officer also advises school staff and governing bodies on Child Protection Issues and allegations against school staff.

The service is also responsible for ensuring compliance with the bye-laws relating to the employment of Children, and Children engaged in entertainment.

The service coordinates monthly Truancy Patrols with the Metropolitan Police.

Officer/School Contacts|

Parental Responsibility

Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age. As defined by the 1996 Education Act, Section 7.

The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable:

(a) To his age, ability and aptitude; and
(b) To any special educational needs he may have

Either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

What could happen if my child does not attend school

The parents of a child that fails to attend school on a regular basis can be fined and prosecuted, unless they present to the local education authority a valid reason supporting the absences.

These fines can range from £50 per parent per child. Up to maximum penalty of £2,500 per parent per child, plus 90 days in jail for the aggravated offence.

What could happen if your child is persistently late for school

From this year, under the 2003 Antisocial Behaviour Act, Section 23 - Fixed Penalty Notices Warning to Parents.

Parents can be fined if the Children's Services Department deems that their child is persistently late for school. These fines are issued at £50 per parent per child.