The Department for Education (DfE) has announced plans to incorporate home visits as part of a wider strategy to address increasing rates of school absence. Starting this September, mainstream state schools across England will receive new guidance designed to set personalised attendance targets for pupils.
This initiative comes amid growing concerns over declining attendance levels since the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused prolonged school closures and disrupted regular schooling. Prior to the pandemic, attendance in English mainstream state schools frequently exceeded 95%, but recent years have seen a struggle to return to those figures.
The departmental guidance encourages both primary and secondary schools to undertake home visits to families when pupils are absent. The DfE emphasises the importance of clear, concise, and accessible communication that is free from jargon and sensitive to language barriers. Schools are urged to work collaboratively with parent and carer groups to craft appropriate messaging that caters to diverse family circumstances.
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A variety of communication channels, including social media, letters, videos, newsletters, school websites, and text messaging, should be employed to reach pupils, families, and local communities effectively. Home visits, phone calls, and informal check-ins at school gates are also recommended as opportunities to explore the reasons behind pupil absences and build stronger personal relationships with families.
Jayne Lowe, the Attendance and Behaviour Ambassador, highlights in the guidance’s foreword that many schools already have solid foundations for improving attendance. She notes that successful schools foster environments where children feel safe, valued, and motivated, and that they implement consistent systems while collaborating with families, local authorities, and communities to address barriers to attendance.
She added, “This toolkit compiles practical insights, strategies, and resources that have proven successful, aiming to support schools across all phases and contexts to enhance attendance and behaviour. We look forward to partnering with school leaders nationwide to expand and refine this approach, celebrating the positive outcomes we achieve together.”