The Attendance Compliance Team (ACT) leads on ensuring that the local authority's statutory duties in respect of school attendance legal intervention are fulfilled.
The DfE statutory "Working together to improve school attendance” guidance, which came into effect on Monday 19 August 2024, makes clear that legal intervention should only be used as a last resort, where “support first” approaches have been exhausted.
Schools, before making a referral for legal intervention, should consider carefully whether they believe that statutory legal action is likely to effect positive change and, where this may not be the case, should consider alternative support strategies for the pupil/family.
Where an Essex school wishes to make a referral for statutory legal action, they must ensure that the absence levels recorded meet the national thresholds set out within both the DfE’s guidance and the Essex County Council – Code of Conduct - Penalty notices for school absence/suspended pupils.
Contact details
The Attendance Compliance Team is managed by Anita Patel-Lingam, Statutory Education Compliance Manager.
The Attendance Compliance Team can help with the following:
- discuss a case which you feel may require statutory legal intervention
- share/seek an update in regards to a case which has already been referred for legal action (penalty notice/prosecution)
Attendance Compliance Officers (ACO) offer 10 minute consultations to colleagues wishing to talk through specific cases/ask us to check our records for a particular family. Please email your link ACO (see contact details below) if you would like to arrange a consultation.
Telephone number: 03330 322 988
Email address: attendancecompliance@essex.gov.uk
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Cheryl Vickers |
West Essex – Epping Forest/Harlow/Uttlesford South Essex – Brentwood, Billericay and Wickford |
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Julie Holley (Mon – Wed) |
North-East Essex – Tendring South Essex – De La Salle |
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Maria Knight |
Mid Essex – Chelmsford, Braintree, Maldon South Essex – James Hornsby, Basildon Upper Academy |
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Rachel Anderson |
North-East Essex – Colchester (parts of Tendring) South Essex – Basildon Lower Academy, Woodlands School |
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Tracie Yorke (Tues – Thurs) |
South Essex – Castle Point/Rochford South Essex - Basildon (Primaries and Special) |