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Evidence Guide
13 min read

School Attendance

When getting to school becomes the hardest part of the day. What can sit underneath attendance difficulties, how families and schools can work on it together, and what the guidance actually expects.

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Reading time
13 min read
Age range
All primary (EYFS–KS2)
Evidence level
Moderate
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The statutory picture

'Working together to improve school attendance' is statutory guidance. It expects schools to build strong relationships with families, promote a whole-school culture of attendance, have a clear policy, analyse data to identify pupils who need support, work with partners, and take particular care with pupils whose absence relates to health or SEND.

The DfE's 2023 guidance on mental health issues affecting attendance adds examples of effective practice. Neither treats enforcement as a first response.

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School Attendance·Culture and systemsSchool Attendance·The building itselfSchool Attendance·Questions worth asking your team
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Culture and systems

  • Is your attendance data reviewed alongside SEND, disadvantage and wellbeing information?
  • Do families hear from school early and warmly, before letters become formal?
  • Are part-time timetables time-limited, agreed and reviewed?
  • Do staff know the difference between support-first practice and pressure?
  • Is there a named lead who holds relationships with local services?
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School Attendance·The statutory pictureSchool Attendance·The building itselfSchool Attendance·Questions worth asking your team
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Evidence & sources

How confident is this evidence?

The legal and statutory framework is clear. The research on which specific approaches work best for emotionally based school avoidance is much thinner, and mostly comes from small studies and practice reports. What is consistent across DfE guidance, NICE and UK practice is the direction: early, relational, joined-up support rather than pressure alone. 'Emotionally based school avoidance' (EBSA) is a descriptive term used by schools and local authorities, not a diagnosis.

  1. Department for EducationStatutory guidance
    Working together to improve school attendance (Current edition)

    Statutory for schools, trusts and local authorities. Sets the expectation of a 'support first' approach: listen, understand barriers and work in partnership with families — with particular care for pupils absent because of mental or physical ill health or SEND.

  2. Department for EducationProfessional guidance
    Mental health issues affecting a pupil's attendance: guidance for schools (2023)

    Non-statutory summary of responsibilities and examples of effective practice where social, emotional or mental health issues are affecting attendance. Written for schools and for parents.

  3. Department for EducationStatutory guidance
    SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years (2015)

    Sets out the graduated approach — assess, plan, do, review — which applies when a pupil's attendance difficulty reflects an underlying special educational need.

  4. National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceProfessional guidance
    Social, emotional and mental wellbeing in primary and secondary education (NG223) (2022)

    Recommends a whole-school approach built on trusted relationships, and targeted support for children who need more.

  5. Education Endowment FoundationResearch summary
    Working with Parents to Support Children's Learning — guidance report

    Evidence on building effective, respectful partnerships with families — relevant because attendance difficulties are almost always solved jointly.

  6. NHSProfessional guidance
    Children and young people's mental health — advice for parents

    Plain-English advice for families, including anxiety and how to seek help through a GP or local mental health services.

  7. Anna FreudProfessional guidance
    Resources for schools and colleges

    Free UK materials on whole-school approaches to mental health, including attendance and anxiety.

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Supporting Families
Looking for a parent-friendly version of School Attendance?

The Kind Learner Space has this guide in plain English for families — the same evidence, translated for home.

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Where to go next.

A calm handful of next steps — not a checklist. Follow whichever thread is most useful right now.

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Emotional wellbeing, relationships, regulation, anxiety, trauma and belonging.

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