Purpose
To ensure that all students access education regularly, safely and consistently. Attendance is fundamental to safeguarding, learning, emotional wellbeing and successful reintegration.
Scope
All students placed at Evolution Education, their families, referring schools and staff responsible for registration, support and escalation.
Definitions
- Persistent absence: attendance below 90%.
- First-day contact: contacting home on the first day of unexpected absence.
- Attendance support plan: an agreed plan to remove barriers and improve attendance.
Responsibilities
- Evolution Education monitors attendance daily, responds promptly to absence or lateness, identifies emerging patterns, maintains accurate records, works with families and professionals, implements support and escalates safeguarding concerns where attendance raises welfare concerns.
- Parents and carers ensure attendance as agreed, inform the provision promptly of absence, and engage with support plans and reviews.
- Students are supported to attend consistently, communicate barriers and engage with agreed strategies.
- Named lead contact available via admin@evolution-sportsgroup.com.
Procedures
Monitoring and recording
Attendance is monitored through morning registration, session-by-session checks and centralised recording (including Bromcom). Data is shared appropriately with referring schools and commissioning bodies. Patterns are reviewed by Centre Leadership.
First-day and ongoing absence
- Day 1: parents or carers are contacted to establish the reason for absence.
- Day 3 of continued absence: the referring school is formally notified by the Centre Lead.
- Ongoing or repeated absence: barriers are explored and next steps agreed collaboratively. All contact and decisions are recorded.
Supporting attendance difficulties
Support may include adjusted or phased timetables, flexible start times, increased mentoring, wellbeing check-ins, supported reintegration, enhanced home communication and collaboration with external professionals.
Persistent absence and safeguarding
Where persistent absence is identified, a structured attendance support plan is implemented with parents and referring schools. Targets are individualised and supportive. Non-attendance is treated as a potential safeguarding concern and escalated under the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy where welfare risks arise.
Promoting positive attendance
Strong relationships, clear routines, calm communication, positive reinforcement and a supportive learning environment are used to reduce anxiety and promote engagement.
Monitoring
This policy is reviewed annually to ensure compliance with statutory guidance and Alternative Provision best practice. Last reviewed: January 2026.
Review Cycle
This policy is reviewed at least annually, or sooner following changes in legislation, statutory guidance, or significant incidents. Next formal review: January 2027. Approved by the Proprietor / Leadership Team.
Related Policies
Child Protection and Safeguarding; Behaviour for Learning; Attendance; SEND; Complaints; Equality, Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination; Prevent; Online Safety; Safer Recruitment; Staff Code of Conduct; Low-Level Concerns; Whistleblowing; Health and Safety; First Aid; Data Protection; Curriculum; Admissions; Searching and Screening; Adaptive Teaching.
Legislation and guidance
This policy operates in line with the Education Act 1996, the Education Act 2002 (Section 175), DfE Working Together to Improve School Attendance, DfE Alternative Provision statutory guidance and Keeping Children Safe in Education.