Attendance Action Alliance

The alliance brings together education, children’s, social and health services to raise school attendance.

Role of group

The Attendance Action Alliance was formed with the single aim of raising attendance and a single belief that, ultimately, children are better off in education and all barriers to this should be removed.

Alliance members, as far as is compatible with their professional responsibilities and organisational remit, will use their roles as national leaders to undertake activities that raise school attendance.

Membership

Current members:

Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Education
Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP, Minister of State for Schools
Ade Adetosoye OBE, Children and Families Spokesperson, SOLACE
Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy, Association of Directors of Children’s Services
Warren Carratt, Chief Executive Officer, Nexus Multi Academy Trust and The Evolve Trust
Dr Rowena Christmas, Chair, Royal College of General Practitioners Cymru Wales
Sarah Clarke, Co-Chair, National Network of Parent Carer Forums and South East of England Regional Steering Group Member
Matthew Cooke, Virtual School Head for Suffolk and Immediate Past Chair of National Association of Virtual School Heads
Leora Cruddas, Chief Executive, Confederation of School Trusts (CST)
Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner
Tina Emery, Co-Chair, National Network of Parent Carer Forums and South West Regional Steering Group Member
Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive, National Children’s Bureau
Professor Peter Fonagy, National Clinical Advisor on Children’s Mental Health, NHS England
Sir Martyn Oliver, HM Chief Inspector, Ofsted
Andy Smith, President, Association of Directors of Children’s Services
Chief Constable Catherine Roper, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead Children and Young Person’s Portfolio, Wiltshire Police
Rob Tarn, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Education Trust
Isabelle Trowler CBE, Chief Social Worker for Children and Families
Russell Viner, Chief Scientific Advisor, Department for Education
Sir Peter Wanless CBE, Chief Executive, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Paul Whiteman, General Secretary, National Association of Head Teachers

Meetings

The alliance has reconvened for 2023 to 2024.

The meetings are action-orientated and focused on national leaders of children’s, social and allied services pledging to mobilise their workforces and organisational capability to achieve the aim of increasing attendance within schools.

We aim to publish the minutes within 2 weeks of the date of the meeting.