Freedom of information response
Attendance Service
1. Does your local authority offer an attendance service for schools within its jurisdiction? If so, please detail the specific services offered, including but not limited to, Educational Welfare Officers, Attendance Officers, and Home School Support Workers.
2. If your local authority offers an attendance service, how many schools located within your authority currently take up this service? Please specify the number if possible, or a percentage of schools if an exact figure is unavailable.
1. Thurrock has a School Attendance Support Team (SAST). We offer an advice and guidance service to all schools which includes targeted support meetings. We also issue Penalty Notices, applied for by schools, and we prepare the paperwork for cases referred for prosecution. This is a free service to all schools, fulfilling our duty in line with the Working Together to Improve School Attendance Document from the Department for Education which is statutory with effect from 19 August 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance
2. All schools take up this service.
Our SAST is comprised of a Principal and Senior Education Engagement Officer, 2 full time Education Engagement Officers, 1 Part time Education Engagement Officer, 1 Part time Pupil Tracking and Child Employment Officer and 1 full time Elective Home Education Officer.