Absence and attendance in the sixth form

Find out what you need to record in your register for sixth-form students. Learn about setting sanctions and whether you have to inform parents about students' absence.

Last reviewed on 12 May 2022
School types: All · School phases: 16 Plus
Ref: 32815
Contents
  1. Keep a register
  2. Sanctions for poor attendance
  3. Informing parents about students' absence
  4. Benchmarking attendance

Keep a register

You must:

  • Have an attendance register for sixth-form pupils
  • Place all pupils on this register, regardless of their age

This is explained in guidance on school attendance (see pages 4-5) from the Department for Education (DfE). 

The attendance register also allows you to prove that pupils are completing their planned hours, for funding purposes (see paragraph 131 of the funding regulations for post-16 provision from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)).

What to cover in the register 

You must have a register for each specific session (e.g. a morning and afternoon register), which includes:

Where you’ve granted a pupil authorised absence, you need to

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Also in "Authorised and unauthorised absence"