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How to work with parents and carers to improve attendance

Understand how to work in partnership with parents and carers to build trusting relationships that can improve pupils’ attendance and keep it high.

Updated
on 11 June 2026See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 49497
Contents
  1. You're expected to work in partnership with parents and carers
  2. Follow key principles for communicating about attendance
  3. Build strong relationships with families from the outset
  4. Communicate positively and consistently with parents and carers 
  5. Work together to identify barriers to attendance
  6. Work with families to find flexible, individual solutions
  7. Communicate about your attendance clearly and regularly
  8. Only use sanctions as a last resort

You're expected to work in partnership with parents and carers

Working in partnership with parents/carers is a key part of improving school attendance. It should be part of your wider attendance strategy, alongside working with staff and pupils. Find out more in our article on how to develop an attendance strategy.

The DfE sets out this expectation in its statutory guidance on working together to improve school attendance (paragraphs 17 to 21) – find out more about the DfE's expectations around attendance.

Follow key principles for communicating about attendance

Set clear expectations – make sure parents/carers understand what's expected of them Build relationships – reinforce positive messages from the start Assume positive intent – start from the belief that you have a shared aim of wanting the best for their child Share clear, relevant facts – parents/carers don't always realise how much school their child has missed, so speak in