Expert advice Administration support Compliance with Working Together to Improve School Attendance 2024 Home visits
Building bridges with pupils and families
Finding solutions to break down barriers
Theimportance ofattendance
We understand regular attendance is crucial for pupil success in schools, as it directly impacts academic achievement and personal development. Consistent attendance brings many benefits to pupils However it can be difficult to improve attendance alone.
Educational WelfareSupport
Our comprehensive Educational Welfare packages are designed to tackle school attendance challenges while ensuring full compliance with the latest regulations.
Combining traditional Educational Welfare services with additional support, Mercian Educational Trust’s Educational Welfare packages help you find routes to improve attendance.
Our Packages include:
Tailored expert advice on all attendance matters
Development and review of Attendance Policies
Full support to ensure compliance with Working Together to Improve School Attendance 2024
Weekly attendance monitoring to identify emerging attendance issues and trends
Home visits to quickly resolve absenteeism by removing barriers to attendance
Building stronger connections between families and schools
Coordinating and attending meetings with parents, schools and other professionals
Early Help Assessments to address issues proactively
Legal assistance for attendance-related matters
Personalised strategies to help pupils return to school
Results
Increase Attendance Rates
Early intervention strategies designed to improve pupil attendance.
Expert Guidance
Save time with tailored advice from seasoned professionals.
Streamline Administration
We can handle the paperwork and communication, reducing your workload.
Stay Compliant
Our expertise keeps your school aligned with legal standards
We also offer legal support, including advice on writing witness statements and managing Penalty Notices.
AttendanceLead Services
RegularReviews
Receive ongoing support with termly or half-termly reviews that offer a clear, customised ongoing action plan. By booking these reviews throughout the academic year, you’ll be able to track areas of success and uncover opportunities for improvement. Our reviews cover:
What does the review include?
Data coding analysis
Compliance checks
Assessment of current attendance trends
Breakdown and analysis of the attendance of vulnerable groups
Identifying areas of strengths alongside areas for improvement
Developing proactive strategies to prevent future issues
An ongoing action plan to boost attendance
IntensiveAudit
Our two-day, on-site audit for SLT provides a comprehensive, detailed action plan to optimise attendance and compliance
This time-saving audit, carried out by our Strategic Service Lead, delivers long-lasting solutions, empowering your team to take effective action and drive attendance improvement
Meetings with key staff members
Direct conversations with pupils
Evaluation of compliance with Working Together to Improve School Attendance 2024
Data analysis including breakdown of attendance across different cohorts and vulnerable groups
Review of day to day attendance practice
Ensuring compliance of register coding
A comprehensive report with a detailed action plan to raise attendance rates
Training
WholeSchoolTraining
Effective attendance management is essential to improving student outcomes, ensuring consistent engagement, and fostering a positive school culture and sense of belonging. Whole school attendance training equips staff with the knowledge, strategies, and tools to address absenteeism proactively and collaboratively. By involving all staff members—teachers, administrators, support staff, and leadership the training creates a unified approach to promoting regular attendance and intervening early when issues arise.
The benefits of whole school training include:
Increased pupil achievement
Regular attendance directly correlates with better academic performance and overall pupil success.
Early identification of issues
A comprehensive approach allows for early identification of pupils at risk of chronic absenteeism, leading to timely interventions.
Improved school climate
Consistently encouraging and supporting attendance, engages the school community
Enhanced staff collaboration
Training fosters collaboration between all staff members, ensuring a collective and cohesive effort to improve attendance
This training equips attendance staff with the tools to ensure compliance, optimise resources, and manage attendance processes effectively. It focuses on practical strategies for improving efficiency, tracking attendance, addressing absenteeism, and fostering a more engaged and accountable school environment.
Ourteam
DonnaParker
AttendanceLead
Donna Parker is an Attendance and Family Support
Lead specialising in multi-agency collaboration to provide holistic support for the most vulnerable children and young people.
With 20 years experience working as an Educational Welfare Officer before progressing onto senior management roles, supporting vulnerable children and young people, Donna has honed her expertise in improving school attendance. She is passionate about addressing and overcoming barriers that prevent children from engaging in education. Donna is dedicated to enhancing the life of each child while staying committed to safeguarding and responsible information sharing
Donna supports schools through strategic interventions and ensuring families are supported, receiving guidance and help to overcome challenges to school attendance.
ClaireSmout
EducationWelfareOfficer
Claire is a compassionate Educational Welfare Officer with over three decades of experience, dedicated to the wellbeing and success of every pupil With a background in teaching and having progressed to Deputy Head at Great Malvern Primary School, Claire has honed her ability to help pupils and their families overcome educational barriers.
She works closely with families to address attendance issues, offering personalised support while bridging the gap between school and home to create a nurturing, inclusive environment. Known for her warmth, ability to connect with pupils and colleagues, and her deep knowledge of the education system, Claire excels at building relationships, maximising resources, and fostering a strong sense of community.
Driven by her commitment to safeguarding, well-being, and the holistic development of every pupil, Claire's greatest reward is seeing pupils thrive.
EducationWelfareOfficer
JoWilson
FrequentlyAsked Questions
Who do you work with?
We collaborate with primary and secondary schools, academies, free schools, multiacademy trusts and pupil referral units to support attendance and welfare for all ages.
Yes, we provide both comprehensive packages and fully customised support tailored to the specific needs of each school. Do you offer tailored support?
Where do you operate?
We primarily serve schools in Worcestershire, and surrounding counties. If you are located outside of this area please contact us today to discuss your needs.
Canyouworkwithotheragencies?
Absolutely! We can coordinate with local authorities (LA), Children’s Services, SEND teams, and other agencies to provide a holistic approach to improving attendance.
How do I know which package is right for my school?
We provide a free consultation to assess your school’s needs and recommend the best package or tailored support option to ensure maximum impact.
What are your prices?
Contact us for a free quote today
Howdoyouacceptpayment?
Payment is accepted in advance for allocated hours. A limited number of unused hours will roll over to the next academic year.
What experience does your team have?
Our team is made up of highly experienced professionals with years of expertise in educational welfare, school attendance strategies, and working closely with families, schools, and local agencies.
Whatservicesdoyouoffer?
We offer a wide range of services, including attendance policy development, compliance checks, weekly attendance monitoring, home visits, legal support, and more.
Can you support schools with legal attendance matters?
Yes, we can provide expert advice on legal matters related to attendance, such as drafting witness statements and managing Fixed Penalty Notices.
How quickly can we begin working with you?
Once you contact us, we can quickly set up an initial meeting and start working on a plan that meets your needs
Book your free consultation and quotat by emailing dparker@metacademies.org.uk or visiting our website.