How is non-attendance often addressed?

Addressing non-attendance

Currently, if a child or young person of compulsory school age fails to attend regularly at a school at which they are registered, or at a place where alternative provision is provided for them, the parents or carers can be prosecuted by the Local Authority (Department for Education, January 2015).

However, punishment is rarely an efficient way of modifying an undesired behaviour and financial penalties are suggested to only improve long term attendance with a small percentage of families.

There is pressure on schools regarding attendance data and statistics.

“That enormous pressure that I know a lot of schools are under we're the same with regards to trying to get 96% cohort attendance, which is just not possible for some children” (school staff).