Attendance Data Gathering
Published: 19 May 2022
Sticky Notes and Pens
In June 2021, the DfE announced an extended duty for the Virtual School to promote the education of children with a social worker at the strategic level. We have been delighted with the response from colleagues in education, social care, education welfare and the wider LA team who have been supporting Graeme Ferguson (HT Virtual School) and myself (Karen Forrest) to understand the landscape within Derby and to formulate a strategic plan of action moving forwards.
From colleague discussions, workshops and pilot launch of activities, absence from school is a barrier to education. We would very much like schools to support us with the next steps of gathering attendance information for children with a social worker, formulating a baseline of attendance data from Autumn 2021 to Spring 2022. From the recent census information, we are able to identify the pupils who currently have a social worker at Child in Need or Child Protection level. We appreciate this is a ‘moment in time’ and there may have been a shift in pupils currently working with Social Care teams.
We would like to ask if DSL colleagues or attendance officers would be able to provide the attendance data for the identified children in your school (from Autumn 2021 – Spring 2022)? Our admin colleague, Ruby Turkington will be in touch over the next couple of days, via secure email (egress) and we would welcome the attendance data for the identified children with a social worker. We would be grateful to receive the attendance information by June 10th. We appreciate that each pupil will have a contextual story attached to their attendance in school, at this point we wish to create a baseline of the current picture, particularly as we return to school post-Covid.
As always, we thank you for your support in promoting the education of children with a social worker in the Derby City area and please do not hesitate to get in touch if you require further information.
Thank you
Graeme Ferguson (Graeme.Fergsuon@derby.gov.uk)
Karen Forrest (Karen.Forrest@derby.gov.uk)