Issue - meetings

The Executive Director, Children’s Services, presented a report outlining the recent changes in school attendance policies, following the release of the Department for Education’s (DfE) Working Together to Improve Schools Attendance guidance, in August 2024.

The report highlighted the key changes in the following areas, as well as their implications and responsibilities of local authorities:

·       Daily data sharing and monitoring;

·       Enhanced multi agency collaboration;

·       Increased fines and legal interventions;

·       Support for pupils with mental health and SEND needs;

·       Changes to attendance codes and registers; and

·       The role of local authorities.

It was noted that the new measures were now operational across Halton’s schools and all schools had fully complied.  The new measures were designed to promote regular attendance, enhance monitoring and offer targeted support to pupils facing barriers. 

Further to Members questions it was confirmed that there were 790 fines in total across Halton last year, 442 of those were in secondary schools.  Members were reassured that the profits from fines were put back into the attendance support service for families.  It was also confirmed that most fines came from term time holidays being taken.  It was recognised that a significant amount of a child’s schooling is lost when they are absent for 1-2 weeks each year.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.