Find out about the importance of school attendance for children and the support available in Torbay to improve it.
The rights of children and young people to an education is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and in UK law.
Evidence shows that excellent attendance is key to ensuring positive outcomes for children and young people. Missing school leaves children vulnerable to falling behind their peers, achieving poorer outcomes at both primary and secondary levels as well as post-16 choices and outcomes. The benefits of attending school are not just for your child’s/young person’s academic education but also for:
For some children, attending school is a big ask! We recognise that barriers to attending school can be both a cause and symptom of more complex issues in the lives of children and young people. Where this is believed to be the case, it is important that there is an understanding of the barriers to accessing education and offering support to overcome them. In some cases, the child and family may need support from several different agencies to meet their needs.
We have a strong commitment to working together with schools and families to offer help and advice to support school attendance.
We understand that regular school attendance is one of the best ways of protecting a child’s or young person’s mental and physical health and lays down strong foundations for their long-term wellbeing.
It is never too late to start positive routines and patterns which will stay with a child or young person throughout their school career and into their adult life. It will help them on that journey towards being a confident, mature young adult and being prepared for their next step.
Let’s work together to ensure children and young people in Torbay can enjoy all the benefits of being part of their school community.
The Department for Education has brought together useful information on how to improve your child’s attendance and where to get support on the Education Hub.
There is a guide for parents called Working Together to Improve School Attendance. You can find useful advice about:
The Attendance Action Alliance produced this guide with the Department for Education.