What is an Attendance Contract?
An Attendance Contract is a formal written agreement between a school, parent and, where appropriate, the child or young person. It sets out the actions and support that will be put in place to improve attendance.
Attendance Contracts form part of the graduated response to attendance and are intended to encourage collaborative working between schools and families to address barriers to attendance.
An Attendance Contract is not a legal agreement and should not be viewed as a punishment. Its purpose is to clearly identify concerns, agree expectations, and provide a structured plan to support improved attendance.
When Should an Attendance Contract Be Considered?
An Attendance Contract may be appropriate where:
- Attendance concerns persist despite earlier intervention and support.
- The school has identified barriers to attendance that require ongoing monitoring.
- Parents are willing to engage with support and work in partnership with the school.
- A more formal approach is required to reinforce expectations and responsibilities.
Attendance Contracts are often used as part of targeted attendance support and may follow earlier discussions, meetings, early help interventions or other attendance support plans.
What Should an Attendance Contract Include?
An Attendance Contract should clearly set out:
- The attendance concerns that have been identified.
- The expected improvements in attendance.
- Actions to be undertaken by the school, parent and child.
- Any support or intervention that will be provided.
- Review arrangements and timescales for monitoring progress.
The contract should be realistic, measurable and focused on addressing the specific factors affecting attendance.
School Responsibilities
When using an Attendance Contract, schools should:
- Work collaboratively with the family to understand barriers to attendance.
- Explain the purpose of the Attendance Contract and how it will support improvement.
- Ensure agreed actions are clearly documented.
- Provide any support identified within the contract.
- Monitor attendance and review progress regularly.
- Maintain records of meetings, interventions and outcomes.
Attendance Contracts should be used as part of a wider graduated response and should sit alongside other attendance support measures where appropriate.
What Happens After an Attendance Contract?
Where attendance improves, schools should continue to recognise progress and ensure appropriate support remains in place.
Where attendance does not improve despite the agreed support and interventions, schools may need to consider further action within Sutton’s Attendance Graduated Response. This may include additional targeted support, a Notice to Improve, or other appropriate interventions, depending on the individual circumstances of the case.
Further Information
For advice on Attendance Contracts or wider attendance support, please contact you allocated Education Welfare Officer, alternatively you can contact the wider Attendance Support Team:
Telephone: 020 8323 0461
Email: attendance@cognus.org.uk