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.

Minutes

21 May 2024 meeting minutes (PDF, 153 KB, 4 pages)

26 March 2024 meeting minutes (PDF, 228 KB, 4 pages)

21 February 2024 meeting minutes (PDF, 193 KB, 4 pages)

17 January 2024 meeting minutes (PDF, 182 KB, 5 pages)

13 December 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 159 KB, 4 pages)

13 November 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 178 KB, 5 pages)

18 October 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 165 KB, 6 pages)

5 September 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 285 KB, 6 pages)

4 July 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 217 KB, 5 pages)

6 June 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 234 KB, 5 pages)

3 May 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 203 KB, 4 pages)

9 March 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 211 KB, 5 pages)

19 January 2023 meeting minutes (PDF, 204 KB, 4 pages)

20 July 2022 meeting minutes (PDF, 186 KB, 4 pages)

28 June 2022 meeting minutes (PDF, 159 KB, 3 pages)

19 May 2022 meeting minutes (PDF, 174 KB, 6 pages)

28 April 2022 meeting minutes (PDF, 175 KB, 6 pages)

31 March 2022 meeting minutes (PDF, 181 KB, 7 pages)

24 February 2022 meeting minutes (PDF, 159 KB, 4 pages)

18 January 2022 meeting minutes (PDF, 149 KB, 4 pages)

Terms of reference

Attendance Action Alliance terms of reference (PDF, 118 KB, 2 pages)

Additional resources

Working together to improve school attendance

Children’s Commissioner for England: back into school

Improving attendance: good practice for schools and multi-academy trusts case studies

Contact details

Attendance.Action@education.gov.uk