The Crucial Link Between Attendance and Safeguarding in Schools
Author: Melissa Warwick – Operations Manager, A Star Attendance Solutions
Why Attendance Matters in Safeguarding
In schools, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and while policies, training, and reporting procedures are essential, one of the most revealing indicators of a child’s wellbeing is often hidden in plain sight: their attendance.
A child’s presence – or absence – can speak volumes. Persistent absence, patterns of lateness, or frequent illness can all be early signs of deeper safeguarding issues. That’s why tracking and responding to attendance data is more than an administrative task, it’s a safeguarding imperative.
Attendance as an Early Warning System
The Department for Education’s Working Together to Improve School Attendance guidance stresses the importance of using attendance as part of a school’s safeguarding toolkit. Schools are expected to view absence as a potential safeguarding risk rather than simply a behavioural or academic issue.
Schools should:
- Identify sudden or gradual declines in attendance
- Spot patterns across families, siblings, or peer group
- Cross-reference absence data with other safeguarding concerns
- Prompt timely conversations with families
- Refer to external services where appropriate
These are critical steps in the safeguarding process, as missing these early signs can delay help and increase risk.
Data and Early Intervention
According to Ofsted (2023), safeguarding failures often arise when patterns of poor attendance aren’t noticed or followed up in time. Schools that effectively use attendance data to spot concerning trends are often better placed to intervene early and prevent further harm.
Digital systems like The A Star Attendance System help staff quickly identify at-risk pupils through data, flagging patterns that might otherwise be missed in manual processes. This allows schools to act fast, collaborate with families, and involve external services when needed.
Attendance is Everyone’s Responsibility
Safeguarding is a whole-school commitment, and attendance monitoring should be integrated into every school’s safeguarding framework. Ensuring a child is present, accounted for, and engaged in learning is not just an educational goal – it’s a safeguarding priority.
Improving attendance is not just about academic outcomes, it’s about visibility. Every day a child is in school is a day they are seen, heard, and safe.