SEND Quality Mark
SEND leadership, identification and assessment, quality of provision, teaching and learning, family partnerships, and outcomes for children with special educational needs and…
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School Quality Marks
Attendance Quality Mark
A whole-school approach to attendance — from leadership strategy and data analysis to early intervention, tackling persistent absence, and genuine family partnership.
Attendance
This mark
Inclusion
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6Areas assessed
36Standards
3Levels of award
3 yrAccreditation
The assessment areas
What this mark assesses
The Attendance Quality Mark assesses 6 areas of school practice. Each is scored, and together they build a full picture of where your school is and where it can go next.
AREA 1
Leadership & Strategy
AREA 2
Data & Analysis
AREA 3
Early Intervention
AREA 4
Persistent Absence
AREA 5
Family Engagement
AREA 6
Reintegration & Support
A whole-school approach to attendance — from leadership strategy and data analysis to early intervention, tackling persistent absence, and genuine family partnership.
Six assessment areas
This quality mark assesses six areas of school practice. Each is scored, and together they build a full picture of where your school is and where it can go next.
About this quality mark
Attendance Quality Mark is available at Established, Advanced and Leading level. Each level reflects a genuinely different standard of embedded practice — not just more paperwork, but a meaningfully higher threshold. Reviews are conducted by independent practitioners with direct experience in this area, and every report is quality-checked before it reaches you.
The Attendance Quality Mark framework is built around what good attendance culture looks like in practice — not just whether you hit national targets. It applies across all school types, from primaries to alternative provision settings.
How the scoring works
Every standard is rated red, amber or green against the level descriptors. Green means the practice meets the descriptor at that level. Your school completes an honest self-evaluation; your reviewer rates the same standards on the visit, and their ratings set the award.
The three levels
- Established — no reds, and at least 30 of the 36 standards green. Up to six ambers are allowed, with no more than two in any one area.
- Advanced — Established is met first, then at least 27 of 36 standards green against the Advanced descriptors, with no more than two ambers in any area.
- Leading — Advanced is met first, then at least 30 of 36 green against the Leading descriptors, with evidence of impact beyond your own school.
The assessment framework
Below is the detailed framework for the first areas, showing what Established, Advanced and Leading look like for each criterion. The full set of six areas with detailed criteria is provided once you register.
Leadership & Strategy
| Criterion | Established | Advanced | Leading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vision & culture | Attendance is a visible priority. Leaders can articulate what the school’s approach to attendance is and why. | Attendance is embedded in the school’s culture. Leaders at all levels own it, not just the attendance officer. | The school is recognised by others as having an exemplary attendance culture. Governors actively scrutinise attendance strategy. |
| Policy & systems | There is a clear, current attendance policy. Staff know how to use it. Registers are accurate. | Policy is regularly reviewed and reflects what the school actually does. There are clear roles and responsibilities. | Policy is shaped with families and pupils. The school evaluates the impact of its systems and shares learning with others. |
| Governor oversight | Governors receive attendance data and can ask questions about it. | Governors challenge leaders on attendance trends, particularly for vulnerable groups. They understand the data. | Attendance is a standing item at board level. Governors can articulate the school’s strategy and its impact. |
| Staff culture | Staff understand their role in supporting attendance. There is a consistent approach across the school. | Staff feel equipped and supported to have difficult conversations about attendance with families. There is no blame culture. | Staff actively model and promote the importance of school attendance. CPD on attendance support is regular and targeted. |
| Resources | Adequate resource — time, people, and tools — is allocated to attendance management. | Resource is matched to need. The school invests more in the families and pupils with the most complex barriers. | The school can demonstrate return on investment from its attendance resources. It supports other schools to improve. |
| Accountability | There is someone with clear responsibility for attendance. That person has appropriate authority and support. | Accountability for attendance sits at multiple levels. Middle leaders are held to account for their year groups or tutor groups. | The school’s accountability structures for attendance are a model for others. Senior leaders are directly accountable. |
Data & Analysis
| Criterion | Established | Advanced | Leading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | Registers are taken accurately and on time. There is a process for following up unexplained absences. | Register data is triangulated with other information. Anomalies are investigated promptly. | The school’s data quality is consistently high. It can demonstrate the accuracy of its recording to an external reviewer. |
| Segmentation | The school can produce attendance data broken down by year group, class, and key pupil groups. | Data is regularly analysed to identify pupils at risk of persistent absence before they reach the 90% threshold. | The school uses predictive data analysis to intervene early. It can show how data-informed decisions have changed outcomes. |
| Benchmarking | The school compares its attendance data to national averages. | The school benchmarks against similar schools and understands why its rates differ. | The school uses benchmarking to set ambitious targets and can show trajectory of improvement over time. |
| Reporting | Governors receive regular attendance reports. | Reports to governors are analytical rather than just descriptive. They show trends and prompt questions. | Attendance reporting is exemplary — clear, honest, and linked directly to actions taken and their impact. |
| Pupil-level tracking | The school tracks individual pupils’ attendance over time. | Individual tracking flags early warning signs and triggers proportionate action. | Every pupil at risk of persistent absence has a documented, personalised plan. Tracking drives all intervention decisions. |
| Unauthorised absence | There is a process for managing unauthorised absence. | Unauthorised absence is challenged consistently and fairly. The school can show how its approach has changed behaviour. | The school’s approach to unauthorised absence is transparent, proportionate, and demonstrably effective. |
How the scoring works
Red, amber, green — against the level descriptors
Green
Meets the descriptor at this level — secure, consistent and evidenced across the school.
Amber
Developing — in place in parts, but not yet secure across the whole school.
Red
Not yet in place, or a significant gap to address.
We're here for youNot sure whether this is what you need? Talk it through with us first.
Register for the Attendance Quality Mark
Schools, trusts and groups can register their interest today. We will get back to you to talk through the process.
Talk to us about the Attendance Quality Mark
Tell us about your school and Shaun, our Founder and CEO, will get back to you. No pressure, no obligation, just a friendly chat about whether the Attendance Quality Mark is right for you.
- A response within two working days, guaranteed
- You speak to our Founder and CEO, nobody else
- Initial conversations are always free
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Just a few details and Shaun will be in touch.
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