How to encourage good attendance from the very start

This article was written by Molly Devlin and Vickee Twort, and was originally published by the Education Endowment Foundation on Tuesday 10 October 2025.

Good attendance starts in the early years. Without it, children miss out on friendships, routines, and the building blocks of learning.

That’s why the latest school attendance data is so worrying. The Education Policy Institute (EPI) warns of ​“a concerning picture for those just starting school.” Children in Year 1 and below are the only group with rising absence compared to last year. Across all headline measures, including persistent and severe absence, the attendance of the youngest children in school is getting worse.

When we track attendance rates across all year groups, it’s children from lower income backgrounds who are particularly vulnerable. The EPI notes that the ​‘overall absence rate for Free School Meal eligible pupils remains almost twice that of pupils not eligible, and the severe absence rate is over three and half times as high’.

That’s why early intervention, before attendance gaps widen, is essential if every child is to get a fair start.

Reception is the most important year for promoting attendance. Furthermore, the 2025 updates to the EYFS Statutory Framework have strengthened the duty to monitor and follow up on absences in the early years.

Four practical steps to improve attendance in the early years

The call to action is clear. But what are the practical steps we can take?

Here are the top four steps we’ve taken at two of our Birmingham schools (Ark Tindal and Ark Victoria) to ensure high levels of attendance right from the start

1. We build positive relationships with families

Before a child even starts in one of our reception or nursery classes, we’ve been busy building a positive relationship with the whole family. Informal drop-ins start early in the summer term, so there is plenty of time to get to know children and their parents and carers.

We understand the importance of consistency to develop a strong relationship. So, the same member of staff visits the family at home, welcomes them to the drop-ins, and is there to help the child settle into their new class in the autumn.

Similarly, it’s the same person who will follow up during the school year if the child is absent – it isn’t just a phone call from someone the family don’t know, it’s a call from someone who cares about them.

We celebrate the diversity of our families through photos, shared cooking and other activities. This means families can see themselves on the school walls and in the activities offered during drop-ins.

The EEF’s guidance report, Working with Parents to Support Children’s Learning, suggests that schools should ​‘start by assessing needs and talking to parents about what would help’. Instead of only putting on workshops about topics which we think are important, we survey our families to find out about their priorities. If families want a workshop on setting bedtimes and sleeping routines, healthy eating, or toilet training – that’s what we offer them.

Finally, a central component of our drive for good attendance is ensuring that our early years provision is caring, welcoming and filled with play and learning for all our children. The enthusiasm of our children and their love of learning take us a long way.

2. We make attendance everybody’s business – like safeguarding

We have a whole-school attendance strategy and issues in Reception are picked up in the same way as in any other year group – by a senior leader. The burden does not fall on the Early Years lead, or the class teachers. With careful data analysis, leaders aim to be proactive – intervening early rather than reacting once we have a problem.

We include attendance in our regular programme of staff professional development. That means staff know how to discuss concerns with parents and how we can promote good attendance directly to the children through activities and discussions in class. We also discuss attendance in our agendas for year group meetings and briefings, so that staff know the latest attendance data and if there are any concerning trends. The EEF’s guidance, Supporting School Attendance, makes it clear that leadership and continuous monitoring are essential to a whole-school approach.

3. We communicate clearly – in person, and through calls and letters home

The EEF’s guidance report, Working with Parents to Support Children’s Learning, recommends that schools should ​‘communicate carefully to avoid stigmatising, blaming, or discouraging parents. Focus on building parents’ efficacy – that they are equal partners and can make a difference.’

That’s why active listening is at the heart of our approach. We seek to get to know families and understand any pressures they are experiencing, or barriers to ensuring their child’s attendance. This approach of ​‘listening to understand’ is crucial to building trust between the school and the family.

We have a home-school agreement, which sets out a range of expectations, including on attendance. This is carefully and thoroughly discussed, in person, before we ask the parent or carer to sign it.

Letters about children’s attendance are written in plain English (or translated into the family’s home language, where appropriate). We highlight the key information using colour coding. We set out the days missed, not the actual attendance rate, because we know that figures like ​‘85% attendance’ look positive – even though they aren’t. 85% is good in most aspects of life, but missing between one or two days of school every week is profoundly damaging to a child’s early education.

When we call home, which is always on the first day of absence, we set out the learning and play that the child has missed. Then we encourage the parent or carer to bring the child back in the next day, as long as they feel well, so they don’t miss any more of those valuable opportunities for play and learning with their friends.

Our communication with families is always positive and personal, with the child’s best interests at the heart. The EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit highlights how effective parental engagement strategies can have a significant and positive impact on children’s learning, based on strong evidence.

4. We offer extra help to families who need it

Sometimes poor attendance is a sign that more help is needed. If a child is not enjoying school and starting to want to stay away, we will put in extra support in class, or offer them a chance to tell us which after school club they’d like to join in with. Our Education Welfare Officer organises informal coffee mornings, so parents and carers have time and space to talk through any difficulties and then come up with a joint plan of action. We always step in when a child’s attendance drops below 90% and offer additional support. This is an example of how we act on the EEF’s guidance to target and tailor extra support for the families of disadvantaged children.

Strong foundations, strong outcomes

Our approach is already paying off. At Ark Victoria in Birmingham’s Small Heath neighbourhood — where two-thirds of children are eligible for Pupil Premium — the results speak for themselves:

• Attendance is at 95%.
• There is no attendance gap between children eligible for Pupil Premium and their peers.
• 80% of children achieve a Good Level of Development at the end of Reception.

These outcomes show what’s possible when good attendance is prioritised from the very start. The foundations are simple but powerful: listen to families, build trust, and work together to overcome barriers.

A call to action

Every school’s context is different, but the principle is the same: early years is the best time to make attendance a habit.

What are the unique challenges in your school?
Where are your opportunities to build stronger relationships with families?
Which first step could you take tomorrow to make attendance in the early years a priority

Good attendance is everybody’s responsibility. The earlier we act, the better the chances for every child to thrive.