Attendance Matters at Smithycroft Secondary School - Glasgow City Council

Published 20/03/2025.  Last updated 26/03/2025

How to use this exemplar to improve practice?  

The exemplar, along with the reflective questions can be used to help practitioners consider their own approach to ​​engaging parents and families to improve school attendance​​. You are invited to read the exemplar then consider either individually or as a team, the reflective questions below. 

  • What is working well in your setting or school in relation to learners attending school? 

  • What opportunities are there in your local authority, setting, school or community for learners and their families to work in partnership and consider attendance issues and barriers? 

  • To what extent are there systems in place for systematically and accurately recording attendance and analysing for patterns, trends and to identify issues at the earliest stage? 

  • In what ways are parents and families made aware of the processes and importance of attending school? 

  • Have you worked with the Parent Council to identify and develop initiatives for the wider parent forum and school community about school attendance?  You may wish to liaise with other settings or schools in your cluster or wider local authority for examples of best practice and what has worked well.

Smithycroft Secondary took a strategic approach to increasing attendance by improving existing practices in conjunction with the introduction of new innovative approaches. The ‘Attendance Matters Strategy was by an experienced member of the Senior Leadership Team, prioritised by year team staff in school and supported by an active parent council. The excellent model of partnership working ensured improved outcomes for learners 

The four-step strategy focused on:  

  1. Responsibility of All 

  1. Early Identification & Prevention 

  1. Targeted Interventions 

  1. Rewards, Recognition and Praise 

A number of key actions were identified within the four step strategy.  These included: 

For parents 

  • communicating strategies for managing absence to parents  

  • Early intervention of low level attendance concerns – Inclusive of group call, phone call, email and letter. Invitation to meeting for the minority who require the escalated strategy. 

  • Shared agreement of support to quickly resolve internal truancy – Group call alerting home who contact young person to return to class immediately 

  • involvement in a cyclical tracking, planning, monitoring and reviewing process 

  • The Parent Council successfully applied for funding and were able to source a Parent Support Worker with an attendance focus

For staff 

  • Developed Behaviour and Learning Inclusion Policy to support staff in being able to provide high quality learning experiences for all in class 

  • Accurate coding on Seemis – Daily email to all staff to verify accuracy and report any discrepancies 

  • Consistent use of permission slips for young people out of class – Data tracked, and patterns monitored and intervened  

For pupils 

  • Nurturing conversations about attendance 

  • Year group teams were formed between Depute Head Teachers and PT Pupil Support.  A strategic focus (daily and weekly) was undertaken to identify patterns of attendance  

  • Daily visit to Registration classes by Year Team to support with discrepancies  

  • Attendance tracked daily for all vulnerable young people and contact home mandatory if absent 

  • Weekly year group assemblies focusing on attendance statistics and target setting to encourage improvement 

  • Young people with significant mental health concerns received targeted intervention to meet their individual needs through the schools staged intervention process 

  • Bespoke learning plans were created for young people with particular areas of interest, both on and off campus 

  • The school’s positive culture is conveyed through ‘because we care’ message and young people feel their presence in school is welcomed and celebrated 

  • Recognition of success features at weekly assemblies.  Certificates given to young people with 90-100% attendance across a term and those who had improved by 10% - 20%.  

  • Prize draws were held for all positive accomplishments 

Partnerships  

  • Educational Psychologist attends all staged intervention and inclusion meetings for young people referred for enhanced support, including emotional based school non attendance  

  • Family Support Worker and FARE bridged the gap between home and school to support the young person and their family back into education 

  • Interrupted Learners Service provides one to one tuition as a temporary support until the young person reengages back into an appropriate learning pathway 

  • MCR offer weekly mentoring for the schools care experienced learners, supporting the confidence and academic performance of those who face daily challenges 

  • Junction 12 are an integral part of supporting young people in our school community who need it most.  

Attendance is a national priority and a grand challenge in the school improvement plan – a long-term strategic change the school intend to achieve between now and 2026. 

Smithycroft Secondary promotes positive attendance through a climate aligned with the school’s vision of ‘We Belong’, ‘We Learn’, ‘We Achieve’. Ultimately, ensuring all young people feel safe, included and provided with every opportunity to achieve their personal and academic aspirations that mirror their attainment profile. 

The cause of absence for young people can be multi-faceted, but Smithycroft are proactive in early intervention, ensuring the safeguarding of young people whilst removing barriers. 

Research demonstrates the potential impact that poor attendance can have. Poor attendance has been linked to lower levels of attainment; peer relationships; emotional and behavioural difficulties and poorer employment opportunities. 

Smithycroft work strategically to identify and track young people facing non attendance or emotional based school non attendance and offer targeted support to them and their families to re-engage them back into school education.

After improving their existing policies and practice, Smithycroft Secondary School’s headline attendance figure has improved by 4.8% to 86.1% - this is against a backdrop of decreasing attendance nationally. In addition, Smithycroft Secondary School attendance increase is the biggest of all 30 Glasgow Secondaries. To that end, the school’s approach is having a direct impact on young people and what they can achieve every single day, improving outcomes for them and their families. 

The school’s parent council were actively engaged in discussions regarding the promotion of positive attendance. They were then instrumental in securing funding to enable the school to appoint a family support worker to work in partnership with young people and families. 

The relationships built between families and the family support worker was based on an ethos of trust and mutual respect. Families were listened to and received unwavering support to transition their young person back into education. The appointment of the family support worker also enhanced the effectiveness of the school’s approach to safeguarding for the most vulnerable young people as there was a consistent connection between home and education. 

Working in tandem with young people and families to feel a sense of belonging and connectedness to the school community had a positive impact. Families were more willing to encourage full attendance when they experienced the school working alongside them as equal partners. 

Working collaboratively with external partners to support non attendance in the senior phase not only positively impacted attendance statistics but also attainment. The school partnered with St Paul’s Youth Forum to offer a bespoke programme combining core qualifications and wellbeing support for young people and families. Delivering this programme off campus removed the barrier that some young people faced about being in the school building. They were able to continue their education in a more relaxed environment where they could be supported by their family in addition to receiving input from curriculum staff. 
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Attendance Matters at Smithycroft Secondary School - Glasgow City Council

Published 20/03/2025.  Last updated 26/03/2025

How to use this exemplar to improve practice?  

The exemplar, along with the reflective questions can be used to help practitioners consider their own approach to ​​engaging parents and families to improve school attendance​​. You are invited to read the exemplar then consider either individually or as a team, the reflective questions below. 

  • What is working well in your setting or school in relation to learners attending school? 

  • What opportunities are there in your local authority, setting, school or community for learners and their families to work in partnership and consider attendance issues and barriers? 

  • To what extent are there systems in place for systematically and accurately recording attendance and analysing for patterns, trends and to identify issues at the earliest stage? 

  • In what ways are parents and families made aware of the processes and importance of attending school? 

  • Have you worked with the Parent Council to identify and develop initiatives for the wider parent forum and school community about school attendance?  You may wish to liaise with other settings or schools in your cluster or wider local authority for examples of best practice and what has worked well.

Smithycroft Secondary took a strategic approach to increasing attendance by improving existing practices in conjunction with the introduction of new innovative approaches. The ‘Attendance Matters Strategy was by an experienced member of the Senior Leadership Team, prioritised by year team staff in school and supported by an active parent council. The excellent model of partnership working ensured improved outcomes for learners 

The four-step strategy focused on:  

  1. Responsibility of All 

  1. Early Identification & Prevention 

  1. Targeted Interventions 

  1. Rewards, Recognition and Praise 

A number of key actions were identified within the four step strategy.  These included: 

For parents 

  • communicating strategies for managing absence to parents  

  • Early intervention of low level attendance concerns – Inclusive of group call, phone call, email and letter. Invitation to meeting for the minority who require the escalated strategy. 

  • Shared agreement of support to quickly resolve internal truancy – Group call alerting home who contact young person to return to class immediately 

  • involvement in a cyclical tracking, planning, monitoring and reviewing process 

  • The Parent Council successfully applied for funding and were able to source a Parent Support Worker with an attendance focus

For staff 

  • Developed Behaviour and Learning Inclusion Policy to support staff in being able to provide high quality learning experiences for all in class 

  • Accurate coding on Seemis – Daily email to all staff to verify accuracy and report any discrepancies 

  • Consistent use of permission slips for young people out of class – Data tracked, and patterns monitored and intervened  

For pupils 

  • Nurturing conversations about attendance 

  • Year group teams were formed between Depute Head Teachers and PT Pupil Support.  A strategic focus (daily and weekly) was undertaken to identify patterns of attendance  

  • Daily visit to Registration classes by Year Team to support with discrepancies  

  • Attendance tracked daily for all vulnerable young people and contact home mandatory if absent 

  • Weekly year group assemblies focusing on attendance statistics and target setting to encourage improvement 

  • Young people with significant mental health concerns received targeted intervention to meet their individual needs through the schools staged intervention process 

  • Bespoke learning plans were created for young people with particular areas of interest, both on and off campus 

  • The school’s positive culture is conveyed through ‘because we care’ message and young people feel their presence in school is welcomed and celebrated 

  • Recognition of success features at weekly assemblies.  Certificates given to young people with 90-100% attendance across a term and those who had improved by 10% - 20%.  

  • Prize draws were held for all positive accomplishments 

Partnerships  

  • Educational Psychologist attends all staged intervention and inclusion meetings for young people referred for enhanced support, including emotional based school non attendance  

  • Family Support Worker and FARE bridged the gap between home and school to support the young person and their family back into education 

  • Interrupted Learners Service provides one to one tuition as a temporary support until the young person reengages back into an appropriate learning pathway 

  • MCR offer weekly mentoring for the schools care experienced learners, supporting the confidence and academic performance of those who face daily challenges 

  • Junction 12 are an integral part of supporting young people in our school community who need it most.  

Attendance is a national priority and a grand challenge in the school improvement plan – a long-term strategic change the school intend to achieve between now and 2026. 

Smithycroft Secondary promotes positive attendance through a climate aligned with the school’s vision of ‘We Belong’, ‘We Learn’, ‘We Achieve’. Ultimately, ensuring all young people feel safe, included and provided with every opportunity to achieve their personal and academic aspirations that mirror their attainment profile. 

The cause of absence for young people can be multi-faceted, but Smithycroft are proactive in early intervention, ensuring the safeguarding of young people whilst removing barriers. 

Research demonstrates the potential impact that poor attendance can have. Poor attendance has been linked to lower levels of attainment; peer relationships; emotional and behavioural difficulties and poorer employment opportunities. 

Smithycroft work strategically to identify and track young people facing non attendance or emotional based school non attendance and offer targeted support to them and their families to re-engage them back into school education.

After improving their existing policies and practice, Smithycroft Secondary School’s headline attendance figure has improved by 4.8% to 86.1% - this is against a backdrop of decreasing attendance nationally. In addition, Smithycroft Secondary School attendance increase is the biggest of all 30 Glasgow Secondaries. To that end, the school’s approach is having a direct impact on young people and what they can achieve every single day, improving outcomes for them and their families. 

The school’s parent council were actively engaged in discussions regarding the promotion of positive attendance. They were then instrumental in securing funding to enable the school to appoint a family support worker to work in partnership with young people and families. 

The relationships built between families and the family support worker was based on an ethos of trust and mutual respect. Families were listened to and received unwavering support to transition their young person back into education. The appointment of the family support worker also enhanced the effectiveness of the school’s approach to safeguarding for the most vulnerable young people as there was a consistent connection between home and education. 

Working in tandem with young people and families to feel a sense of belonging and connectedness to the school community had a positive impact. Families were more willing to encourage full attendance when they experienced the school working alongside them as equal partners. 

Working collaboratively with external partners to support non attendance in the senior phase not only positively impacted attendance statistics but also attainment. The school partnered with St Paul’s Youth Forum to offer a bespoke programme combining core qualifications and wellbeing support for young people and families. Delivering this programme off campus removed the barrier that some young people faced about being in the school building. They were able to continue their education in a more relaxed environment where they could be supported by their family in addition to receiving input from curriculum staff. 
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