Key Points
- Camden borough has a persistently high level of pupil absence, with over one in five children missing more than 10% of lessons.
- Netley Primary School in North London introduced a unique approach by offering parents attendance awareness courses inspired by speed awareness programmes.
- Parents at risk of fixed penalty notices are invited to attend four sessions focusing on the importance of regular school attendance and the anxiety missed lessons cause children.
- Headteacher Gareth Morris reported that attendance significantly improved for 80% of families participating in the programme.
- If attendance does not improve, parents receive fines, but improved cases are monitored with ongoing support.
- Simone Sarosh-Cambridge, the school’s full-time support worker, plays a vital role in monitoring attendance and supporting children directly.
- Camden Council’s recent report highlighted Camden’s poor attendance figures, with the borough ranking near the bottom (29th and 30th out of 32) for pupil attendance in primary and secondary schools.
- Disadvantaged pupils, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), are disproportionately affected by poor attendance.
- Unauthorised term-time holidays and the high cost of airfares post-Covid contribute significantly to absences.
- The council has initiated campaigns such as bus stop posters and targeted texts to parents with low attendance children.
- Some local officials have criticised the council’s attendance action plan as “quite vague” and emphasised the need to address underlying causes of absence.
What is the attendance problem faced by Camden Borough schools?
As reported by Josef Steen of My London, Camden continues to struggle with pupil attendance rates that are significantly worse than the inner London and national averages. According to a council report released in November 2025, over 20% of pupils in Camden miss more than one-tenth of their lessons regularly. In fact, Camden ranks 29th out of 32 boroughs for primary school absences and 30th for secondary schools, indicating a systemic attendance challenge across all school levels.
Stephen Hall, CEO of Camden Learning, the borough’s education partnership, acknowledged this problem at a council scrutiny committee meeting. He explained that Camden experiences the highest sickness-related absences among inner London boroughs. Additionally, unauthorised term-time holidays remain a persistent issue, driving down attendance figures further. Hall pointed out that despite some progress in closing the attendance gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils, disadvantaged children—especially those with SEND—are disproportionately affected by persistent absence.
How is Netley Primary School tackling poor pupil attendance?
Netley Primary School, led by headteacher Gareth Morris, has adopted an innovative and empathetic approach to confront the attendance crisis. Inspired by speed awareness courses offered to drivers in lieu of fines, Netley invites parents at risk of receiving fixed penalty notices for poor attendance to attend four awareness sessions instead of immediately issuing fines.
Morris told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that feedback from parents has been “incredibly positive,” particularly regarding the sessions’ focus on the anxiety children feel when missing school. He said the approach has “dramatically” improved attendance for eight out of ten families who participated in the programme so far.
While Morris confirmed that fixed penalty notices remain in place as a last resort for non-compliant cases, he emphasised the school’s preference to continue offering “enhanced support and monitor” families showing signs of improvement.
What role does child support and attendance monitoring play at Netley?
Simone Sarosh-Cambridge, Netley’s full-time support worker, provides a crucial layer of support by monitoring attendance and intervening directly with pupils flagged for repeated absence. As Morris highlighted, Simone’s work goes beyond monitoring to building children’s confidence, providing tailored support packages based on each child’s needs.
The funding for Simone’s role primarily comes from the Richard Reeves Foundation. Camden Council mentions that while several schools attempt to fund similar roles through charitable donations or their budgets, the cost is prohibitive for many.
What reasons are given for pupil absences in Camden?
Headteacher Gareth Morris and Camden Learning CEO Stephen Hall pointed to several factors driving absenteeism in Camden. Hall noted Camden’s leading sickness absence rate among inner London boroughs.
Both men also flagged the problem of unauthorised term-time holidays as a significant cause of persistent absence. Morris remarked to the LDRS that since the Covid-19 pandemic, families increasingly request leave during school terms due to the high cost of airfares outside the school holidays.
“The fine of £120 is significantly cheaper than the thousands of pounds a family can save by going in term time,” Morris explained, adding that this financial disparity undermines the deterrent effect of fines. He called for a “wider discussion” nationally about potentially “radically changing” how school terms are scheduled to address this issue.
What measures has Camden Council taken to improve attendance borough-wide?
Camden Council has sought to drive attendance improvements through multiple initiatives. These include a public awareness campaign featuring posters at bus stops and text message reminders sent to hundreds of parents whose children’s attendance falls below 95%.
Despite these efforts, some have criticised the local authority’s attendance action plan as lacking in clear direction. Dr Rachel Wrangham, a former member of the council’s Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee, described the strategy as “quite vague.” She argued that more attention should be placed on identifying and addressing “what was keeping children out” of school rather than just the numbers.
Why is Camden’s attendance issue particularly challenging for disadvantaged pupils?
Stephen Hall pointed out that while overall attendance has improved from the previous year, there is still a “disproportionate” impact on disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND. The barriers these groups face are complex, involving socio-economic factors, health issues, and other challenges that extend beyond school policy alone.
By singling out the vulnerable groups and tailoring support services, like those offered at Netley Primary, the borough hopes to ensure that children who are most at risk receive the help they need to attend school regularly.
