Bucks Council launches drive about the importance of children attending school

Buckinghamshire Council is launching a major drive to remind parents and carers about the importance of children attending school, and promoting the wide range of support that's available for anyone struggling with school attendance.

School absence rates have been higher across the whole country since the Covid pandemic, with many complex reasons behind this. While Buckinghamshire has better attendance rates than the national average, a higher number of Buckinghamshire students are missing school and this increasing absence is a trend the council wants to reverse. 

For most pupils, the best place to be is in school, surrounded by the support of their friends and teachers as well as learning support staff and other staff. This is important not just for a child's learning, but also for their overall wellbeing, wider development and their mental health.

Pupils benefit from being at school and every lesson counts. Regular attendance is vital to help children achieve and get the best possible start in life. Children who frequently miss school often fall behind, in fact, there is a strong link between regular school attendance and achieving good grades at GCSE.

But the benefits of being in school go beyond exam results, attending school is also vital to a child's wellbeing and development. When children miss school, it's not just about missing lessons, it's also about losing valuable moments spent with their friends and teachers and the assistance provided by learning support staff and other staff.

Children may struggle to attend school for a wide range of reasons and the council wants to remind students and their families that support is available that can help remove barriers and support attendance at school.

Some children need more help to attend school every day and that support is available from the council and from the school the child attends.

Cllr Anita Cranmer, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, said:

"All parents want what's best for their children. Evidence strongly shows that the more days of school a child attends, the better their future outcomes. Every lesson really does count. We know that there can be challenges with school attendance and that's why we're launching our Present for their Future campaign, to ensure families know how to access support and remove barriers to attending school.

"On our new campaign website there are free courses for primary and secondary school children on topics such as mental health and wellbeing, and building confidence and self-esteem. There's moving up to secondary school advice, NHS advice to check if your child is well enough to attend school, and practical tips to support your child's school journey.

"We understand there are some children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities, who need a little more help to attend school, and professionals are already working with these families, but if you need that help, please speak to your school in the first instance or contact the council via the Bucks Family Information Service.

"Being in school is a legal requirement and I cannot overstate the importance of good school attendance – it influences every aspect of a child's life and makes a huge difference to their future. This is a problem that isn't going away which is why we're launching this campaign to remind everyone about the critical importance of attending school so we can reverse this very worrying trend of increased absence rates. We want to work together with families to ensure that all children who are struggling are supported to attend school."

Information and support for parents and carers can be found on the council website: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/campaign/present-for-their-future