This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Interim Service Manager for the Attendance Team, Farah Malik, for the attention of all schools.
We trust you are continuing to maintain the monitoring of school attendance and ensuring your school processes are being followed with regards to working with families to address any concerns or poor attendance either on site or remotely.
We are aware the pandemic has increased workloads (e.g. returns to DfE, SIMS attendance, Teachers remote monitoring of pupils access to education) and forced us to be working in many different ways and areas such as testing of COVID, FSM support through vouchers, delivery of remote equipment etc. We would like to commend schools in their continued support of families and for going above and beyond their traditional roles.
We would like to remind yourselves, should you be struggling to encourage attendance (once you have exhausted all school based processes) either on site for vulnerable and CW children, or in encouraging remote learning please do feel you can refer to Attendance Service, using the appropriate referral form as attached below, specifically the Persistent Absence Referral form and the COVID related referral form.
Please ensure you provide as much information as you can in the referrals. We will support with contacting parents to discuss potential barriers to progress the education and learning-often LA intervention helps to progress a case forward through contact.
Devices/electronic equipment, internet access continues to be a key feature preventing children from accessing remote learning. The DfE website can be used to address any shortfalls for schools.
Vulnerable children and coding with a C code on SIMs register-please see the attached document dated 11.2.2021 which further outlines guidance direct from the DfE provided to Michael Jarrett (Assistant Director People-Children) this week.
In terms of families travelling overseas, unless the Head teacher deems the leave of absence to be on “compassionate grounds” the absences should be unauthorised (G code) in line with guidance. Schools should monitor the absences and maintain contact with families to encourage a return back to the UK. Should the absences become prolonged and the family do not respond to calls, emails, then please contact us for further advice, we may need to advise following CME procedures.
Enforcement -Fines are still suspended by Central Government, the disapplication has been extended to 6 March 2021. As soon as we hear of enforcement being reinstated we will provide guidance regarding SBC enforcement procedures. This will provide schools with the opportunity to issue warning periods and penalty notices for unauthorised absences but will be for prospective absences as opposed to retrospective absences once we go live with the system. We would advise schools to follow best practices in communicating with parents to inform them of Penalty notices and warning periods being reinstated once we are at this point, as they may raise objections if not informed in advance.