Reducing absence and persistent absence is a vital and integral part of schools' and local authorities' work to:

  • promote children's welfare and safeguarding
  • ensure every pupil has access to the full-time education to which they are entitled
  • ensure that pupils succeed whilst at school
  • ensure that pupils have access to the widest possible range of opportunities when they leave school.

Pupil registration: Regulations and guidance

The pupil registration section describes the 2006 pupil registration regulations, and the 2010 amendment, that govern the admissions and attendance registers that all schools must keep. It contains the latest official guidance on keeping pupil registers and using absence and attendance codes. It also outlines the circumstances under which a pupil can be removed from the admissions/attendance register.

Attendance targets: Regulations and guidance

Promoting regular school attendance is a key component in the Government's strategy to raise educational standards. Read guidance for LAs and schools on the Education (School Attendance Targets) Regulations 2007 and for LAs on setting persistence absence indicators for their schools in 2009/10.

Local authorities: Duties and legal measures to ensure school attendance

This provides information on the measures that are available under the law for ensuring regular school attendance in England, as set out in Ensuring children's right to education: Guidance on the legal measures to secure regular school attendance.

It also offers information and further links to guidance on the use of:

  • parenting contracts
  • parenting orders
  • penalty notices
  • fast track to attendance framework
  • prosecutions.

Attendance guidance and good practice for schools, LAs and others

This section provides case studies, examples of good practice protocols and good practice guidance in the following areas:

  • attendance policy
  • attendance projects
  • cross-border working
  • dealing with persistent absence
  • holidays in term time
  • illness
  • media promotion
  • multi-agency initiatives
  • review days
  • reward system
  • Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
  • study leave.