School attendance guidance: working group

Overview

This working group will support the refresh of school attendance guidance.

The group will:

• identify issues related to attendance and consider how these can be addressed
• identify areas where content can be clarified or streamlined
• ensure the views of children, young people, parents, carers and school staff are considered and reflected
• consider opportunities to develop, strengthen or align with information available on attendance
• contribute to guidance on education for children and young people unable to attend school due to ill health

The Relationships and behaviour in schools action plan (2024 to 2027) commited to update the Included, engaged and involved part 1: promoting and managing school attendance guidance by March 2026.

The group will draw on evidence from a range of sources, including:

• the Behaviour in Scottish schools research 2023
• Education Scotland’s report Improving attendance: understanding the issues
• YoungScot's What I need to learn survey report

Members

• Scottish Government (Chair)
• Education Scotland
• Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES)
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Association of Scottish Principle Educational Psychologists (ASPEP)
• School Leaders Scotland (SLS)
• Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS)
• Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)
• National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT)
• Connect
• Enquire
• Scottish Council of Independent Schools.
• Spartans Community Foundation
• Quarriers