Guidance

A guide for schools on communicating with parents about attendance (accessible version)

Published 9 June 2026

Applies to England

Introduction

This guide supports schools to communicate effectively with parents and carers about attendance. It’s part of the wider Department for Education (DfE) attendance toolkit for schools.

Schools and parents share the same goal: happy, thriving children who feel they belong and achieve their potential. This guide is built on that common ground. It’s been developed because we know that when schools and parents work together as partners – when parents feel connected, understood and part of the solution – attendance improves.

Effective communication with parents goes hand in hand with strong relationships – both should be developed and reflected on together. Investing in relationships with parents up front will likely save time and support attendance in the long run.

How this guide supports your school

Schools are already doing a huge amount to improve attendance. This guide does not try to replace any of that. It’s here to enhance what you already do. It:

• complements your existing attendance systems and policies
• provides practical, evidence-based communication approaches
• includes ready-to-use templates and resources
• helps you tailor messages to different families and situations

DfE data tools are available to assist you in identifying the pupils, families and cohorts that need support to attend. The insights they provide will help you:

• target communications most effectively
• monitor the impact

Research consistently shows that parents expect to hear about attendance from their school first. You are the trusted messenger. This guide will help you make the most of that by supporting you with the messages that make the most difference.

What we learnt from parents and schools

This guide is the product of research and co-creation with those who:

• will deliver it
• it aims to influence

To co-develop messaging around attendance, we ran in-depth stakeholder workshops and focus groups with:

• teachers
• school leaders
• parents and carers from a range of backgrounds and parts of the country
• parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) 

These messages were tested again with 40 parents in a 7-day online community, looking specifically at how the academic and social aspects of school played into parental decision-making and attitudes on going to school.

Many of these parents had children with 5 to 15% absence rates, where appropriate communications are more likely to make a meaningful difference to outcomes. Outside of this group, reasons for not being in school are often more complex, meaning communication with parents must be embedded in deeper relationship-building and support.

Messages that work

Messages that work:

• focus on belonging, friendships and daily experience, and are grounded in the child’s real experience at school
• emphasise academic outcomes, resilience and life skills, as they become more relevant for older pupils
• adopt a tone that adapts to the situation, such as the child’s age, SEND need and past attendance pattern
• are perceived by parents as personalised, practical communication, not just a generic message
• offer clear routes to support, especially via a named contact

Messages that do not work

Messages that do not work:

• imply poor parenting
• impart blame
• prioritise school metrics over the child
• push families away

Parents’ beliefs and motivations

Our research showed that:

• parents believe they’re acting in their child’s best interests
• wellbeing and happiness are the primary drivers of decisions
• some parents feel judged or misunderstood by schools

How parents understand absence

We discovered that:

• many underestimate how much school and learning is missed
• messaging about missed lessons, days and experiences resonates better with them than quoting a percentage of time off school

Our research was supplemented and supported by larger surveys carried out by Parentkind:

• the National Parent Survey
• the School Absence Parent Poll Report

We also drew on the Listening to, and learning from, young people in the attendance crisis policy report by Public First.

Guiding principles

We translated what we learnt into 9 key principles for communicating with parents and carers about attendance.

Set clear expectations

Make sure parents understand what is expected of them by regularly communicating the school policy, thresholds and their legal responsibilities.

Build relationships

Invest in relationships with parents from the start. Reinforce positive messages about their child and their efforts. Then, if challenges emerge, there is a strong foundation for working together.

Assume positive intent

Begin from the belief that parents want the best for their child and acknowledge them as experts on their child. Use supportive, non-judgemental language, grounded in shared aims and framed around working in partnership.

Share clear, relevant facts

Parents do not always realise how much school their child has missed. Simple facts, in terms of lessons or days, help them understand without feeling criticised.

Understand what motivates parents

Focus on the benefits of school, such as friendships, enjoyment, belonging and learning. Persistent use of the word ‘attendance’ without acknowledging the wider context of school or individual circumstances could turn some parents off.

Keep communication practical

Give clear examples of what children gain from being in school. When signposting parents to support, explain who to contact and what steps they can take to access help.

Match the tone to the situation

Whole-school messages should feel warm and welcoming. If concerns increase, communication can become firmer while still staying respectful and collaborative.

Recognise effort and improvement

Recognising small steps forward builds momentum. Celebrate improvements and ensure praise feels genuine.

Tailor communication for SEND and other vulnerable pupils

Attendance can be more complex for some families. Use welcoming language, celebrate progress and involve SEND or safeguarding staff when shaping your messages.

In summary

We advise:

• using human language
• leading with support and collaboration
• showing parents you see the reality they live in
• being explicit about the small, practical things that make attendance possible
• celebrating the successes

Messaging and methods

Schools are expected to regularly communicate with families about attendance to:

• set expectations and communicate school policy
• follow up on absence
• inform parents and carers about their child’s attendance or absence, including celebrating improvement
• promote the benefits and importance of strong attendance
• advise parents when attendance worsens to support improvement, including when legal action may be taken

The support that follows will help you to fulfil these expectations, providing appropriate messages and considerations of how best to deliver them.

Communications checklist

Things to consider when you communicate, to make sure messaging is useful for parents and carers.

Think carefully about your audience

Are you:

• engaging both parents or carers, where appropriate?
• providing effective communications for families with language barriers or low literacy via simple language, translations, visuals, short documents or a face-to-face approach?
• aware of any SEND needs or complex home pressures that mean a family may need phone calls or face-to-face contact instead of written messages?

Choose the most appropriate channel

Choose:

• text or app messages for quick nudges or reminders – an evaluation of the value of text messages by the Education Endowment Foundation showed these made a small positive impact on attendance

• emails or newsletters for sharing universal updates and resources – for information-heavy updates, include key details in the email body, rather than in an attachment

• phone calls for sensitive issues – use a curious, rather than confrontational tone

• check-ins at the school gate – use to build relationships and gain helpful information

• in-person meetings – use to build trust and jointly problem-solve

• letters – use when a formal tone is needed

• home visits – use for families who are hardest to reach or need more support

• coffee mornings or drop-in sessions – use as informal opportunities to build relationships

Choose the most appropriate messenger

Consider which existing relationships might land the message best or whether escalation is needed. Is that:

• the class teacher?
• a member of the senior leadership team?
• the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO)?
• the attendance officer
• the designated safeguarding lead?

Use attendance data to inform communications

Regularly analyse attendance, supported by the view your education data tools, to segment and personalise communications. Use data to target messages about:

• lateness
• days missed
• Friday absence

Adapt messages and methods of communication for different percentage-absence bands or specific cohorts. For example:

• reinforcing and celebrating strong and improved attenders
• following up on declining attenders early with a light-touch nudge

Create a communications calendar

Plan communication across the year, rather than reacting in the moment. Too many messages overwhelm. Too few mean missed opportunities. Use the calendar that follows and the explore your attendance patterns tool to guide sequencing and consistency.

On what day, and at what time of day, are you planning to send the communication? For example:

• very early or busy times reduce the possibility of messages being opened
• sending late on a Friday closes any chance of dialogue with a parent or carer until the following week

Ensure quality and consistency

Consistency of tone is important, so consider having a communications ‘gatekeeper’ – one person with oversight of all attendance messaging.

Staff need to be trained to have effective conversations. Helpful approaches include:

• scripts
• whole-school continuing professional development

Ask parents how it’s going

Feedback on communication should be routine.

Invite parents to share what:

• feels helpful
• is frustrating
• could be clearer

A stepped messaging approach

There are some messages that work well for most families, but others should only be used in specific circumstances. This list helps you pick one clear priority, the right tone and the right method for every moment of contact, so communications contribute to progress.

Universal messages

Going to school provides non-academic benefits, as well as academic ones

This is the single most widely accepted idea. It links everyday school life to non-academic benefits parents care about – like developing co-operation skills, confidence, routine and resilience – and works across all age groups when supported with believable examples.

Belonging and social experience

Be conscious that, for some parents, their child’s wellbeing and social experience at school is their primary concern. Messaging about belonging, friendship and feeling safe lands well with many, provided it is realistic and acknowledges when a child does not yet feel that way.

Practical, named support

Parents need to know who to speak to – a person, not a department – and what will happen next. These messages build trust and encourage shared problem-solving. Use this early and often when offering help.

Small, achievable steps and celebrating progress

Messages that emphasise small, achievable changes reduce defensiveness and build momentum. Celebrate small wins explicitly, especially with parents of children with SEND or other complex needs.

Tangible examples of what’s been missed

Percentages rarely resonate, so translate absence into days or lessons, or social moments and opportunities.

Messages to use when they apply

Anxiety or pastoral issues

For absences caused by anxiety or bullying, acknowledge the emotion and offer clear support or adjustments tailored to the individual. This can open up lines of conversation when all else fails.

Guidance on illness

If you are discussing illness, be clear about the school’s policy and ask parents to be specific about symptoms. Signpost to the official NHS guidance ‘Is my child too ill for school?’ to reassure parents that a child with a cold or minor illness (as well as a child feeling anxious or worried) can still come to school. Remind them that the school will keep an eye on their child.

Legal or enforcement messaging

Absence is often a symptom of wider issues a family is facing. Where a support-first approach is not successful, not engaged with or not appropriate (such as in response to a term-time holiday), messages at the relevant points about legal interventions will be necessary, and must be tailored to the specific case. Although they aim to secure a child’s right to education, they could close down dialogue if used too early or for a family experiencing challenging circumstances.

Attainment and consequences

Facts about attainment in exams, or future working life, work mainly for parents of older pupils or those approaching key assessments.

Adapting messages for different purposes

Use the school attendance data tools to identify trends and patterns in absence for individuals and different groups of pupils. This will help you target and adapt your messages to have the biggest impact.

Select the most appropriate member of staff to lead conversations – ideally someone who knows the family or child, and leave each meeting or conversation with a shared understanding of the next steps and who is responsible for them.

Whole-school or start-of-term communications

Tone

• warm
• invitational
• inclusive
• lead with the child

Key messages

• school is more than schoolwork
• what school offers this term
• named contacts
• an invitation to work together on attendance

Avoid

• blaming parents
• being too instructive

Examples

Primary: This term, we will be helping children grow friendships and confidence through weekly team projects. If mornings are tricky, speak to [name], our Family Support Lead, who can suggest small changes that might help.

Secondary: Being in school helps students keep on top of their learning, build their confidence and establish relationships that matter. For Years 10 and 11, being in school every day supports higher achievement in exams. Contact [name], our Attendance Lead, for tips on getting into good school habits.

SEND: We know every child’s route to belonging is different. If your child needs adjustments to help them feel safe and ready to learn, contact our SENCO [name], to make a plan together.

Class or year-group reminders, and notes from teachers

Tone

• personal
• practical
• routine-focused

Key messages

• examples of what’s been missed
• belonging
• social experience

Avoid

• generic statistics
• broad claims

Examples

Primary: This week your child will take part in a group performance, helping them build confidence and resilience.

Secondary: This week’s project builds the team-working skills needed for upcoming work. Missing it will make lessons that follow harder.

SEND: Today’s small-group session helps with social skills. If your child needs support to join, let us know and we can make arrangements together.

Gentle nudges on text or email

Tone

• neutral
• informative
• low pressure

Key messages

• examples of what’s been missed
• a specific offer of help

Avoid

• ‘we know it’s difficult’ messages, which can be seen as patronising

Examples

Primary and secondary (text message): Hello, [name]. We all missed [name] at school today and hope they are well. They missed out on [lessons or activity]. Call [number] to speak to [name] if you need help getting them back in.

SEND (text message): Hello, [name]. We all missed [name] at school. If there’s anything we can do to support their return, give [name] a call on [number]. 

Personal check-ins by phone

Tone

• curious
• collaborative
• understanding

Key messages

• examples of what’s been missed
• practical next steps
• acknowledging parents are using their best judgements

Avoid

• ‘we know it’s difficult’ messages, which can be seen as patronising

Examples

Primary: I know you’re doing your best, so we wanted to see what more we can do to help [name] settle back in. It’s really important for them to get settled in the school routine, so they can build confidence and keep up with the class.

Secondary: We want to help make this easier for you and [name], and to chat through with you anything we can do to get [name] back to school so they don’t fall behind. They’ve already missed [number] hours of lessons this term. 

SEND: We completely appreciate how difficult this can be, so we wanted to check in and remind you that we’re here to help in any way we can. Would it be useful to explore making adjustments to help [name] settle into a routine with school? We don’t want them to miss out. 

Invitations to meetings

Tone

• collaborative
• purposeful
• time-bound 

Key messages

• specifics of what’s been missed
• small realistic goals
• named people and actions

Avoid

• enforcement language
• threats of escalation

Examples 

Primary: We’d like to suggest a short meeting, in person or online, to agree 2 small steps we can work on together to help [name] join us in school more often. Can you make [date and time]?

Secondary: We’d like to agree a plan to help [name] with their school routine and stay on top of their studies. Can you make a short meeting, either in person or online, on [date and time]? We’ll bring a list of simple, practical things that might help.

SEND: We’d like to meet with you and our SENCO to look at the progress we’ve already made and agree small, realistic steps to make school more comfortable for [name]. Could you make a meeting, either in person or online, on [date and time]?

Communication as part of a formal process

You’ll need to be clear with parents and carers through your school policy about what might happen if absence worsens, including the drawing-up of a formal attendance plan or contract, and when legal action might be taken. If these steps are reached, the guidance that follows can help these messages land better.

For children needing a formal attendance plan:

• keep the tone straight

• be practical and evidence-led

• name any next steps and the person who will take them

• measure time in days, lessons or hours, not percentages

• recognise incremental improvements

• avoid overpromising support you cannot deliver

• make clear what good progress looks like

For children needing a formal letter or sanction:

• keep the tone formal, factual and unemotional

• stick to dates, absence records and tangible next steps

• be clear on the process and where to get help if needed

• do not use enforcement language before this point unless needed

Planning your messages across the year

Planning your messages across the school year can be really beneficial. Too many messages in a short period can overwhelm parents, and longer emails will often not be read, so you’ll need to find the sweet spot for your school. Using a range of channels will help you engage parents too.

The communications calendar that follows splits out the year by term, mapping the:

• ‘moment’ for communications (timely points where communicating with parents about attendance is most relevant)

• ‘mindset’ (what parents may be thinking and feeling in that moment and therefore the barriers or drivers we can address through communication)

• ‘messaging’ (language that will help improve attendance) – we do not expect schools to copy and paste the example messages we offer, but they’re available to give you a sense of what could land well

Try to develop your own communications calendar using these suggested moments.  They are opportunities to connect with parents when they’re in the right headspace for open, constructive conversations and a starting point to build into your communications planning throughout the year. They sit alongside a regular ‘drumbeat’ of attendance messages on expectations and benefits.  

These work best when tailored to your pupils and families. The explore your attendance patterns tool helps schools identify points in the year where attendance is typically higher or lower. Use this insight to plan communications that reinforce what is working and address where attendance might drop.

DfE offers insights in the attendance toolkit for schools showing the impact that birthdays, religious observance and broken weeks can have on school attendance, and shared examples of how other schools have managed them.

You know your school community best, so use the resources in this guide to find the moments and messages that work for you and your families. Ultimately, this calendar and other resources are here to support you in having the conversations that go beyond numbers.

Communications calendar

Autumn term and Christmas holidays

1. Moment: start of the new school year

National data shows that pupils who miss school early are much more likely to struggle with attendance later. Analysis of attendance data shows that, of pupils who had at least one day of absence in the first week of the 2024 to 2025 academic year, over half (57.4%) went on to be persistently absent.

Mindset

Public First focus groups with parents across England found that daily attendance is no longer seen as automatic, and parents increasingly weigh up tiredness, wellbeing and convenience when deciding whether to send a child to school.

Parents and carers are trying to enforce routines after the long summer break. Some will be thankful that their child is back in school full time, but some will be facing resistance to go to school from their children.

Barriers: It is sometimes easier to just keep them off school when they do not want to go, rather than them getting upset.

Motivations: Now is the time to start good habits and set a positive routine for the rest of the year.

Messaging for parents

Remind parents that now is the time to set good intentions for the year ahead and highlight the positives of returning to school, like friends, favourite lessons and enjoyable routines such as after-school activities. Outline what parents need to know for the year, including your term dates and attendance policy.

Example

We cannot wait to welcome all pupils back on [date].

We know that returning to school means a shift in routines. Prepare for a strong start to the year by resetting sleep schedules 3 to 5 days before school begins by moving bedtime and wake-up time earlier in small steps.

Reintroduce familiar routines such as reading before bed, preparing clothes or having breakfast at the table. Limit screen use for at least an hour before bed to support sleep, as overstimulation can affect sleep quality. Plan a calm, structured first morning back to help them feel more confident.

2. Moment: winter-illness period

In the UK, the winter-illness period typically runs from October to March, with cases of flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) peaking between December and February.

Mindset

DfE data shows that illness is the single biggest reason for school absence in England, accounting for just over half of all absences between the start of December and end of February.

Barriers: Some parents might not be aware of the NHS guidance on common illnesses that have mild symptoms, or worry their children will be seen as a risk to others if they go to school with, for example, a cold.

Some parents who have jobs requiring them to go to their place of work will struggle when their children are sick and need to be kept off school. But those who work from home or do not work may be more lenient when their children are unwell, as keeping them off is not as much of an issue.

Motivations: Coughs and colds are common. Getting children vaccinated keeps them safe from flu, as well as protecting others at high risk from getting seriously ill from it.

Messaging for parents

Remind parents of the NHS guidance that states children can attend school with common cold symptoms such as a sore throat, runny nose or cough unless they have a high temperature.

Example

If you’re not sure if your child is well enough to go come to school, check the NHS guidance on common illnesses and let us know as soon as possible if they need to stay home.

Remember, ahead of and during the winter illness period, all eligible school-aged children are offered an NHS flu vaccine. We’ll be in touch with more information about this.

If your child has a medical appointment during school hours, it’s important they attend school before and after the appointment. They can wear school uniform for the  appointment.

3. Moment: parents’ evenings

An opportunity for face-to-face conversations with parents to reiterate what good attendance looks like. Schools have their own cycles for parents’ evening, so repeat this messaging at the time most relevant to your school.

Mindset

Public First research found that parents often describe attendance as ‘very good’ even when school data shows otherwise, indicating a perception gap, rather than resistance. It also found that attendance conversations are most effective when they occur within trusted, relational contexts, rather than through sanctions or automated messaging.

Barriers: Parents will not necessarily have built up relationships with their child’s teacher at this point, depending on when the parents’ evening takes place. Parents and carers tend to underestimate how often their child misses school.

Motivation: Parents care about their child’s development and want to know where they’re doing well and where they could improve.

When their child is in primary school, they understand that the teacher spends a significant amount of time with them and has their best interests at heart.

When their child is in secondary school, they’re more motivated by messages about how attendance can impact exam results. However, this might be seen as too far off for those with children in years 7, 8 and 9.

Messaging for parents

Parents’ evenings may be an appropriate time to discuss attendance issues as part of a wider face-to-face meeting, without requesting this specifically for attendance.

Example for pupils with higher than desired absence rates

Are there any issues preventing your child from being in school? We can help and have support available.

Example for pupils with good attendance

We’re really pleased with their attendance so far. If you ever struggle with this, speak to us and we can help.

Example for secondary schools

Those with 95 to 100% attendance are nearly twice as likely to achieve strong GCSE results at grades 9 to 5 compared to those with 90 to 95% attendance. That means even 5 days out of school could make a difference to their future.

Discuss the options for removing barriers to attendance, such as check-ins with pupils, familiar faces at the gate (primary schools), regular meetings between a designated school contact and parent or carer, approved early or late arrivals to avoid overwhelm, and so on.

4. Moment: end of term and Christmas holidays

Mindset

Consider which day you break up on for the holidays, as this can have an impact on attendance rates. In the final week of the 2024 to 2025 academic year, schools that finished the year with a broken week had absence rates 2.6 percentage points higher for that week than those that finished with a full week. This will be relevant at the end of every term, when parents are planning holidays and trips to visit family and friends.

Barriers: Parents’ attention is elsewhere – on family plans, logistics for the holidays and childcare while school is closed. They may think that, in the last week of term, school is just about watching videos.

Motivations: Many parents will be looking forward to a break with family. The Christmas period is a happy time for many, putting parents in a good mood and providing an opportunity to remind them of the social and emotional benefits of school.

Messaging for parents

This is a good time to remind parents and carers about what you’re doing in the last week of term and why it’s important their children are in school at this time of year. You can bust the myth that they’re ‘just watching films’ by explaining the important mix of fun and learning. It’s also worth alluding to the next term ahead of the break. 

Example

We hope you have a restful break and your children come back to school in the new year feeling refreshed. The new year is all about setting good intentions for the year ahead and this includes improving how often your child is in school.

Starting the year with a strong routine will help them be in school more regularly, which, in turn, improves not only their learning but also their confidence, resilience and friendships.

Spring term and Easter holidays

5. Moment: start of the new term

We know that communications can have limited impact when it comes to stopping term- time holidays, but that does not mean reminders about expectations for attending school every day are not important.

Mindset

The ‘fresh-start effect’ is a behavioural science principle whereby people are more motivated to change habits following ‘temporal landmarks’ that feel like new beginnings, such as New Year’s Day and the start of a new school term.

Some parents and carers will be planning for the year ahead and already thinking about booking summer holidays. January is the peak booking time, when holiday companies offer discounts. Civil Aviation Authority data shows that 4.3 million package holidays were booked in January 2025.

Barriers: A term-time holiday is cheaper, and booking it now feels far off, so many parents will just accept that taking their child out of school is something to ‘deal with later’.

Motivations: The new year and setting resolutions are synonymous, so parents are already in an intentional mindset and open to changing behaviour. This provides an opportunity to reinforce good attendance habits.

Messaging for parents

This is a really good time to remind parents and carers about the importance of attendance and to and reset expectations.

Example

The new year is all about setting good intentions for the year ahead, and this applies to your child’s school record too.  Being in school regularly is important to help them develop and grow, and build friendships, confidence and resilience.

Even just a few days off can make a difference – 5 days over the course of a year is equivalent to 25 lessons, 5 lunchtimes with friends and 15 playtimes missed.

If you’re thinking ahead to summer and planning holidays for the year, please keep these to school holidays to ensure your child can thrive in school. The summer term is filled with vital learning and fun activities.

If you want to set good attendance habits for the year and you need support, speak to us. We’re here to help.

6. Moment: national secondary-school offer day

Secondary-school offers are usually received on the first working day in March. Think about your first interaction with new parents and carers, and which attendance messages are best to include.

Mindset

DfE data shows that attendance patterns established in primary school often persist into secondary, so it is important that schools and families work together early to support transition and routines.

This is a moment that most parents are conscious of and eagerly awaiting. It’s a milestone in their child’s education, and once they know which secondary school they’ll be going to, they’ll start planning travel, school clubs and other logistics.

Barriers: Some children will not have received an offer from their preferred school and their parents may feel frustrated. Some parents may be nervous about the change in routine and relationships.

Motivations: Parents are already thinking ahead to when their child goes to school in September, providing an opportunity to reinforce good attendance expectations.

Messaging for parents

Secondary schools will be communicating with parents of those joining the school in September. As part of this, include reference to the school’s attendance policy and wording related to the support-first approach. Use year 6 absence reports to support relationship-building with the families that need it most on transition to secondary school.

7. Moment: vaccinations

Before the immunisation programme against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for year 8s, or tetanus, diphtheria and polio (the 3-in-1 teenage booster) and meningococcal bacteria (MenACWY) for year 9s begins, it’s a good time to remind parents and carers about the importance of vaccinations.

Mindset

You may need to do some work with families who are worried about vaccines to ensure their child comes to school on these days.

Barriers: Some parents and carers distrust vaccines and may keep their child off school that day.

Motivations: Parents ultimately want to keep their child safe.

Messaging to parents

Reassure parents in advance and normalise the fact that most pupils get these vaccinations.

Example

We’ll soon be organising for pupils to have [name of vaccine]. These vaccines are crucial for [insert relevant information] and are taken up by [number]% of children.

On [date], pupils will be called to the vaccination session during the school day, so they should attend their lessons as normal. Most feel well enough to remain in school afterwards. If your child feels unwell, staff will support them.

Summer term and summer holidays

8. Moment: moving-up day

Also known as induction, transition or transfer day, this is when children in year 6 visit their new school to meet their teachers and classmates, and get familiar with their new environment.

Mindset

Clear expectations and a sense of belonging during transition are important, as attendance patterns formed early in secondary school are linked to later outcomes. Year 11 pupils with near-perfect attendance have almost double the odds of achieving a grade 5 in their English and Maths GCSEs compared to similar pupils attending 90 to 95% of the time.

Barriers: Parents may feel nervous or apprehensive on behalf of their child on moving-up day.

Motivations: Parents will naturally be thinking ahead to their child going to secondary school. You can use this moment to set out policies and outline what good attendance looks like.

Messaging to parents

This is another opportunity to set expectations and start building relationships. Use the year 6 transition data to identify the families that might need more support and think about how you will tailor your communications to them.

Example

Transitioning to secondary school is a big change. We’re here to support you and your child with the move.

[Insert information about the logistics of moving-up day, how they’ll get there, what to expect, and so on.]

We expect all children to attend school on time every day and we’re here to help with that.

If you have any concerns about this, please do get in touch ahead of September to discuss how we can help.

9. Moment: national primary-school offer day

Primary-school offers are usually received from 16 April onwards. Welcoming new parents and setting expectations offers an important opportunity.

Mindset

Barriers: For parents and carers whose children are moving from the nursery to the primary in the same school, things will feel familiar. Parents whose children are moving to an entirely unfamiliar school, or who did not get the place they wanted may be nervous, however, and will seek reassurance that the environment will be a positive one.

As attendance cannot be enforced until compulsory school age, your communications will need to make the new expectations at primary school clear.

Motivations: Some parents will be delighted about getting their first-place offer, and we can use this wave of positivity to outline what the school expects when children reach compulsory school age.

Messaging for parents

Example

Your child is joining us next year and we’re thrilled to be welcoming them.

Ahead of then, here’s some information on our attendance policy [add a link to or a summary of it].

It’s important that they come to school every day, not just to learn, but also to build their confidence and friendships, so they can settle in and feel they belong.

Arriving at school on time helps start the day in a calm, orderly way. Some children feel anxious if they always arrive after their friends.

Starting school can feel daunting, so if you’re concerned, or if setting a morning routine is hard, speak to us. We’re here to help.

10. Moment: study leave

Schools have the discretion to grant absence for study leave for public exams (not internal or mock exams). If they do, provision must be made for those pupils who still want to attend to revise. 

Mindset

Greater clarity around study leave and school attendance is needed.

Barriers: Parents may assume that attendance is optional around exam periods, even if the school has not granted study leave. If study leave is granted, they may not be aware of the benefits offered by their child still attending.

Motivation: Parents want their children to achieve the best possible grades, and they value teacher expertise. Some parents understand that their child works better with structure and supervision.

Messaging for parents

Communication about when children are and are not expected to be in school must be clear and reinforce the benefits of being there.

Example: study leave

Study leave will start for year 11s on [date], after which pupils can choose whether to study at home or come into school. If they come in to school during the study leave period, resources [for example, a place to study, access to staff or revision classes] will be available to them. We strongly encourage pupils to make the most of the in-school provision during this time.

Example: no study leave

We believe there’s value in pupils having access to specialist teachers and resources throughout the exam preparation and exam periods. That’s why we’ve taken the decision not to have a study leave period and, instead, to offer a specialised revision programme for all year 11 students from [date] to [date].

11. Moment: end of the school year

Mindset

As the school year comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the past year, and to celebrate successes as well as thinking ahead to the future.

Barriers: Parents will be focused on childcare, keeping their children entertained and their summer holidays.

Motivations: There’s an opportunity to celebrate the wins from the past year and reinforce good behaviours.

Messaging for parents

It’s vital that messaging is personalised and celebrates improvements, to ensure the parting moment from one year to the next is a positive one.

Recognise the improvements of all pupils – not just those with 95% attendance or above. Congratulate and thank parents and pupils for their efforts and look to next year to replicate the same positive movements.

Example

Thank you for getting [name] into school as much as possible this year. They have achieved a [percentage] improvement on the previous year or term. Being in school regularly is important to help them develop and grow, and to build friendships, confidence and resilience.

We hope you have a restful break, and your child comes back to school in September feeling refreshed.

12. Moment: school holidays

Mindset

Schools could consider scheduling communications to parents and carers towards the end of the holidays, when they’ll be starting to think about the start of the new school year.

Barriers: Parents will be focused on childcare, keeping their children entertained and their summer holidays, so school – particularly at the start of the summer holidays – will be lower down the list.

Motivations: They’ll be bombarded with marketing messages about new school uniforms and stationery, which, in turn, could prompt them to think about the start of the new school year.

Messaging for parents

During the holidays, routines change, so this is a chance to remind parents to get back into good habits ahead of the start of the new year.

Example

It’s almost back-to-school time. Start this year with good intentions and build routines that help your child thrive.

During the summer break, sleep patterns, mealtimes and daily structure become looser. This is completely normal, but this shift can make the return to school feel overwhelming.

Start resetting sleep schedules 3 to 5 days before school begins by moving bedtime and wake-up time earlier in small steps. Reintroduce familiar routines such as reading before bed, laying out clothes or having breakfast at the table. Limit screen time for at least an hour before bed, as overstimulation can affect sleep quality, and plan a calm, structured first morning back to help them feel more confident.

Sources of inspiration: 8 videos from schools

These regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) attendance and behaviour hub schools all do excellent work with parents and carers to support attendance. Listen to them talk about their approach in the videos in this YouTube playlist or watch the one most relevant to you.

Marine Academy Primary, Plymouth

• 00:16 – Having daily conversations
• 00:30 – Engaging parents before their child starts school
• 01:04 – Practical examples of how to get children into school
• 02:24 – The power of community events
• 02:52 – A personalised approach to getting children into school
• 03:38 – Ways to communicate with parents
• 04:09 – Celebrating good attendance

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard Primary, Ebbsfleet

• 00:26 – Engaging parents from day 0
• 00:53 – Celebrating improvements
• 01:17 – Visualising the issue

Q3 Academy Langley, Sandwell

• 00:21 – Daily action on attendance
• 00:36 – Setting expectations from the beginning
• 01:27 – Using social media
• 02:15 – Incentivising good attendance
• 02:56 – Term-time holidays

Sneinton C of E Primary, Nottingham

• 00:07 – Individual barriers and relationships
• 00:51 – Choosing channels based on what works for the parent
• 02:00 – The parent understanding their role
• 02:32 – Choosing the right messenger for each family

Co-op Academy Woodslee Primary, Wirral

• 00:16 – Understanding why a child is missing school
• 00:46 – Connecting with stakeholders to improve attendance
• 01:34 – Demonstrating care to support children into school
• 02:10 – The power of face-to-face communication
• 02:40 – Out-of-hours communication

Leigh Academy Rainham Secondary, Ebbsfleet

• 00:25 – Developing individualised strategies
• 01:10 – Being reflective and responsive
• 01:59 – A 3-way relationship
• 02:42 – Primary vs secondary attendance

St James School, Exeter

• 00:18 – The attendance handbook
• 00:47 – Illness-related absence
• 01:26 – Celebrating 5 days of attendance
• 02:20 – Mistakes to avoid
• 03:07 – Changing behaviour through understanding
• 03:35 – Making sure communication reaches every parent

Bluecoat Wollaton Academy, Nottingham

• 00:20 – What does not work
• 01:12 – Modes of communication
• 02:44 – Building trust and breaking down barriers
• 03:42 – Know your data

10 reminders about effective messaging

Build relationships

• Start from shared goals and wanting to working together.
• Invest in relationships early to build trust. 
• Show understanding of challenge and avoid blame.

Use attendance data 

• Personalise and target messages.
• Frame absence in days and experiences missed – not percentages.

Make messages specific and useful

• Use the child’s name.
• Give clear, practical information that parents can act on.
• Name who to contact and what support is available. 

Adapt for family circumstances

• Match the tone, language and channel to the age, needs and circumstances of the child.
• Consider SEND, language, literacy and home pressures. 

Focus on the child and their experience 

• Focus on the benefits of being in school.
• Talk about learning, friendship, confidence and belonging. 

Recognise progress 

• Celebrate improvements and small steps. 
• Positive feedback builds motivation and trust.
• Thank parents and carers for their efforts. 

Communicate clearly and consistently

• Explain expectations and procedures early and often. 
• Use straightforward language.
• Train staff so communications are effective and of high quality.

Choose the right channel

• Match the message to the medium. 
• Take stock of the channels you have that work for your pupils’ parents.

Listen and respond 

• Feedback on communications should be routine. 
• Ask parents what feels helpful or is frustrating.
• Be open to feedback and adapt. 

Find the right time

• Plan ahead and use key moments in the year.
• Sending messages very early or during busy times reduces open rates.
• Do not wait until issues escalate. 

In summary

Be:

• clear
• supportive
• practical
• partnership-focused

Templates

Adapt these templates to use in your communications with parents about attendance. Make sure you consider the guiding principles set out in this guide when using them.

Email and letter templates

Use these email and letter templates and tailor them to the child in question.

Text message templates

Use these text message templates to send short messages or reminders to parents.

Phone call scripts

Use these phone call scripts to help guide your conversations when you need to speak to a parent about why their child is absent.

One-page attendance policy template

Use this attendance policy template to create an at-a-glance version of your policy for parents outlining key points. It should signpost to further information or a more in-depth policy for those who need more information.

‘Under the weather’ form template

Designed for children who do not feel 100% well but want to give school a go, this ‘under the weather’ form allows parents to give information about how their child is feeling and who and when to contact if they start to feel worse. RISE attendance and behaviour hub schools have seen great success using it – children who otherwise would have stayed at home have managed to come in for the day.

Ready-to-use content

Copy-paste this short, ready-to-use content about attendance and use it across your communication channels, to inform parents about:

• what to do if their child is ill or has a medical appointment
• requesting a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances
• the importance of their child being on time to school
• requesting a leave of absence for religious observance
• requesting support with attendance

Ready-to-use assets

These assets can be sent send directly to parents. Choose the best channel and the best time to share this information. You may want to consider sending them at the start of each year or as occasional reminders.

NHS guidance: ‘Is my child too ill for school?’

Download or share with parents this visual guide to when children are well enough to be in school.

A psychologist’s advice: managing back-to-school worries

Clinical psychologist Dr Nihara Krause offers 3 tips to help parents manage their child’s concerns about returning to school after the holidays. Send them to parents and carers as part of your pre-holiday communications.

Animations

These 60-second animations can be sent directly to parents or used at events or attendance meetings. They are designed to prompt discussion and reflection about challenges and strategies. 

All animations finish with the same advice for parents who are struggling with attendance: “Speak to the school – we’re here to help.”

Download the animations, or watch them on YouTube.

Animations to share at any time

The following animations are suitable for most parents and have been created for you to download and post on your social media channels.

Tips for how parents can support with good attendance in primary school

Use throughout primary school or where parents need practical support.

Tips for how parents can support with good attendance in secondary school

Use throughout secondary school or where parents need practical support.

Illness absence and staying healthy

Use alongside your policy on illness absence and the NHS guidance ‘Is my child too ill for school?’

Animations to share at specific moments

The following animations have been created for you to share directly with parents as part of text messages, emails or newsletters.

School attendance expectations for parents of those going into primary school

Use for new parents with children starting reception to set expectations and offer support around the transition.

School attendance expectations for parents of those going into secondary school

Use for new parents with children starting secondary school to set expectations and offer support around the transition.

School attendance expectations for parents of those going into key stage 4

Use to reinforce the importance of attendance for exam success and for building social skills and confidence.

Why attending every day matters in primary school

Use throughout primary to remind parents of the social and academic impact of missing school.

Why attending every day matters in secondary school

Use throughout secondary to remind parents of the social and academic impacts of missing school.