Tackling school absence and promoting attendance

The Crucial Role of GPs

Dr Christmas said: “We always need to be alert to workload pressures, but this should not prevent us from looking at what steps now, can actually ease pressure on GPs and help our patients in the long run.

“With our insight into families' lives and trusted positions within communities, GPs are often the first to notice signs of potential problems. We can foster a culture of regular school attendance, working with schools, education welfare services, and families to reduce the risk of persistent absence".

The paper proposes five principles to support GPs in helping young patients get the most out of school:

1. Be alert to when it is better to encourage a child to attend school rather than take time off. Consistently promote school attendance, emphasising the importance of attendance for every child’s long-term outcomes.
2. Reassure and have sensitive conversations with pupils and parents about anxiety, particularly at the start of new school terms, recognising the importance of minimising time missed during the first week of school.
3. Remind ourselves that some schools have Mental Health Support Teams and most have a range of self-help resources and organisations we can signpost to.
4. Encourage parents and carers to speak to school staff about any worries their child may have, enabling them to work together to support their child and improve attendance.
5. Make it practice policy to try and schedule routine appointments to minimise time taken off school. Although broader in scope than just GP appointments, in 2020/21, there were 4.6m school sessions interrupted due to medical appointments.

“Every child deserves an equal chance to learn and grow. GPs hold a unique position to make a profound impact. By advocating for regular school attendance and fostering supportive environments, GPs can help shape a future where no child's potential is dimmed by persistent absence,” said Dr Christmas.