A Camden primary school has drawn national attention for replacing attendance fines with a supportive “awareness course” for parents whose children were persistently absent. The approach has been covered by Schools Week, Netmums, and the BBC, each reporting encouraging early results.
Across these articles, the exact numbers differ slightly — but the pattern is the same:
- The school invited around a dozen parents to attend the sessions.
- Eight families completed the course — a consistent figure across all sources.
- The school told reporters that attendance for these families “dramatically improved”, rising from below 90% to above 95% afterwards (BBC).
These figures come directly from the school’s own reporting to journalists.
Even with this small sample, the theme is clear: a relational, supportive intervention may help families rebuild routines and confidence around school attendance.
Why absence matters: the ripple effect in the classroom
When a child misses a lot of school, the impact is broader than many realise.
Teachers work tirelessly to:
- reteach missed content,
- plug gaps in knowledge,
- rebuild lost confidence, and
- reintegrate children into learning.
This affects the entire class. Learning slows down. Peers wait while others catch up. And for the absent child, the return can be full of anxiety, especially when gaps become obvious or friendships have shifted.
Interventions that help families break cycles of absence don’t just support one pupil; they ease pressure across the classroom community.
The emotional cost: anxiety, gaps and the struggle to return
Children who miss days or weeks of learning often describe:
- worry about being behind,
- embarrassment or fear of failure,
- difficulty reconnecting with peers,
- and a sense of being “lost” in lessons.
This anxiety can then cause further absence, a pattern schools know all too well.
Parents in the Camden articles said the sessions helped them understand this emotional cycle more clearly, as well as how long-term absence affects confidence and wellbeing.
When parental instinct becomes over-protection
Many parents keep children at home for longer than strictly necessary.
After illness, tiredness, or emotional wobble, a one-day break can quietly turn into several.
Courses like the one trialled in Camden help families reflect on:
- when a child is genuinely too unwell,
- when a gentle nudge back to routine may be better,
- and how long-term absence can unintentionally increase a child’s stress.
This isn’t about blame, it’s about reassurance, clarity and shared understanding.
Legitimate concerns: this only works if done with sensitivity
Commentators,including voices from Impetus, have rightly warned that any attendance intervention must be delivered sensitively.
A poorly designed course could:
- feel patronising,
- ignore hidden needs,
- harm relationships, or
- worsen emotional-based school avoidance.
Readers responding to the articles echoed the same concerns:
What about children with severe anxiety, SEND, trauma, or complex family circumstances?
Would a “course” feel like pressure for families already struggling?
These are essential questions.
But nothing in the reporting suggests this particular Camden school handled things insensitively. Parents described the sessions as warm, respectful and collaborative, likely the reason they saw positive results.
The real lesson: attendance improves when relationships improve
More than anything, this small pilot highlights a truth those working in attendance know well:
Good attendance grows out of good relationships.
When:
- families feel heard rather than judged,
- teachers feel supported rather than stretched,
- children feel safe, confident and welcomed,
— attendance improves.
This is not a universal solution, nor a blueprint that can be copied blindly.
But it is a reminder that conversations work better than confrontation, and that every family wants the best for their child when given the right support.
In the end, attendance isn’t just about systems or sanctions.
It’s about connection, trust and communication, the fundamentals that help children thrive.
BBC News – The school offering attendance awareness courses to parents
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c201vnwgv54o
Schools Week – The school running parent absence awareness courses
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/the-school-running-parent-absence-awareness-courses/
Netmums – Headteacher swaps attendance fines for awareness courses and parents have been ‘incredibly positive’
https://www.netmums.com/child/education/headteacher-swaps-attendance-fines-for-awareness-courses-and-parents-have-been-incredibly-positive