On 4 June, Cumberland Council approved and adopted the school attendance pledge as a Council priority. The pledge is aimed at organisations and the wider community to drive down school absences, with the principle that school attendance is ‘everybody’s business’.
The Cumberland Council School Attendance Pledge is aimed at organisations across the public, private and community and voluntary (VCFSE) sectors to promote good school attendance and ensure Cumberland’s children and young people have the best opportunity for success.
This follows a national campaign and publishing of statutory guidance by the Department for Education which sets out the principle that school attendance is ‘everybody’s business’. Barriers to school attendance are often complex and recognising that school attendance is the responsibility of everyone is the core message of the pledge.
The pledge is only the first way that the council is seeking to drive down school absence rates and each partner has an important and distinct role in supporting the child, young person or family, as no one partner can do it on their own. The council is developing a wider school attendance strategy, which will involve working closely with schools, families and partner organisations.
Emma Hamer, Assistant Director for Education, SEND and Inclusion said:
“Research shows that regular attendance at school is not only vital for education, it is key to a child’s health, wellbeing and future life chances.
“The cause of frequent school absences are often complex, with some pupils finding it harder than others to attend school. Removing any barriers requires a collaborative approach across schools, parents and other partner organisations.
“The Cumberland Council School Attendance Pledge is about recognising that and the importance of children and young people regularly attending school. It is a commitment to working together with our partners and families to put the right support in place for Cumberland’s children and young people.
“The pledge is just one of the measures we will be using to ensure schools and families are supported to tackle the root cause of school absence.”
Following the approval of the Cumberland Council School Attendance Pledge, the council will begin work to promote the pledge to partner organisations and the wider community.