The DfE has published a new version of working together to improve school attendance. This will become statutory guidance on 19 August 2024.
The current version is non-statutory and remains in effect until then.
The changes are a mixture of clarification on existing guidance and updates to reflect changes in the law, including the upcoming School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.
We've summarised the key things you need to know.
New requirements on keeping and sharing registers
You must:
- Keep registers electronically (paragraph 31)
- Preserve every entry in the attendance or admission register for 6 years (previously it was 3 years) from the date the data was entered (paragraph 36)
- Use the revised attendance and absence codes (paragraphs 283 to 407)
- Share your school's daily attendance data (paragraph 51)
Only grant leaves of absence for specific circumstances set out in regulation
