Strategic Ways to Work with Parents to Improve Attendance: With Consideration for our SEND/ALN Pupils
2 dates
£185.00
+ VATSchool Attendance National Conference 2026 – Turning Insight into Action
Live Online
1 date
£185.00
+ VAT
Live Online
1 date
£185.00
+ VAT Children in England had over 5 million more days in the classroom last year compared to the previous year marking a significant improvement in attendance after a period of record high absence. This positive trend is attributed to efforts to tackle persistent absence and is seen as crucial for pupil progress and future earnings. Attendance is at the top of the agenda for schools nationwide, but there is still work to do!
The School Attendance National Conference 2026 brings together expert speakers and cutting-edge insights to give you the clarity, confidence, and strategies to drive real change in your setting. Leaders and practitioners require up-to-date knowledge and practical solutions to meet this challenge head on.
Packed with practical sessions, the programme explores how to use data effectively, embed a positive culture of attendance, tackle EBSA, close gaps for vulnerable learners, and work in partnership with parents. Alongside updates on national policy and priorities, you’ll gain actionable tools, share experiences with peers, and leave inspired and equipped to strengthen attendance and engagement in your school.
Gain the latest updates on school attendance trends, legislation and DfE priorities to ensure alignment with national expectations.
Learn how to promote the benefits of good attendance through practical frameworks, mantras, and strategies that build belonging.
Explore how MIS systems and WONDE can be used to analyse, share, and act on attendance data, turning insight into targeted interventions.
Develop strategies to identify, understand, and support pupils experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance in line with DfE guidance.
Address intersectionality and strengthen approaches for disadvantaged, vulnerable, and SEND/ALN learners to reduce disparities.
Build stronger school–home partnerships and engage families in overcoming barriers to regular attendance.
Translate research insights and national guidance into practical approaches that drive improvement.
Connect with peers, share challenges, and exchange best practice across schools and settings.
Take away clear, practical strategies and tools to implement immediately in your school or trust to improve attendance and engagement.
BSc (Hons), QTS, MEd, MA
Karen is currently working part-time in a mainstream Primary School as SENDCO, while the remaining part of her week is spent supporting and training. Karen started teaching science at a... mainstream secondary school in 2000 but moved into the SEND environment, working with children and parents to help them overcome their barriers to education to give them the skills to achieve their full potential. The majority of her training was on the job, which showed the need for training in this area. She was appointed as a Specialist Leader in Education for Autism, and this allowed her to disseminate good practice and deliver training in the field of SEND. Karen offers various SEND, Neurodivergent and condition specific training, including Autism, ADHD and Dyslexia. She has continued her professional development throughout the years, including a Master in Arts, Master in Education, Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism and PDA formal qualifications. She is currently working towards her NPQSEN. Karen believes that a better understanding of SEND, Neurodivergence and complex needs can be achieved through information sharing, and she is committed to ensuring that education is developed and delivered to as many people as possible.
Matt Bromley is an education writer and advisor with over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as a secondary school headteacher and principal, FE college vice ...principal, and MAT director. Currently, Matt is a public speaker, trainer, school improvement lead, and a primary school governor. He also remains a practising teacher, working in secondary, FE and HE settings, and is the lead lecturer on a national ITT programme. Matt writes for various newspapers and magazines including SecEd, Headteacher Update, SEN Leader, TES, School Business Manager Magazine, Children & Young People Now, Attendance Matters Magazine, and School Inspection & Improvement Magazine. He sits on SecEd’s editorial board and co-hosts their award-winning podcast, as well as writes most of their monthly pull-out best practice supplements.
Senior Education Welfare Consultant - CQSW ILM
Victoria Franklin is an Attendance Management Consultant working across all phases of education with a remit to raise whole school attendance. Victoria qualified from Bristol University a...s a social worker with a focus on education and has 30+ years of working in education settings including Local Authorities/Multi Academy Trusts and schools. Victoria has developed systems and procedures to help organisations become more effective in the management of attendance. (Including several Local Authorities holding authority wide specialist responsibility for school attendance improvement and data analysis.)
The interface of where policy meets practice, and the use of data are particular areas of interest.
Victoria has developed and successfully implemented a strategy around coding to help schools understand and analyse the impact of coding decisions on attendance levels.
Victoria is a freelance trainer and produces and delivers highly successful national training events for several training companies on attendance related issues and consistently achieves outstanding evaluations. She is a regular contributor to the Attendance Matters magazine.
Victoria is President of NASWE -National Association of Support workers in Education www.naswe.org.uk – a professional association promoting the welfare and school attendance of children since 1884. This involves meetings with the DFE to discuss policy and practice, being involved in consultation work for example working with Lord Soley regarding his proposed private members bill on regulations for Home Education and linking with other national organisations in areas of research, policy, and practice.
Victoria is a member of INSA (International Network for School Attendance www.insa.network) and contributes to the INSA website as one of the UK (England) representatives.She took part as a presenter at the inaugural conference In Oslo in October 2019.
Other related interests include Chair of the Management Committee of Bristol Hospital Education service.
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Stay at home, get comfortable and enjoy our live interactive conference via Zoom! You’ll receive the link a few days before the conference date so you can get prepared (and excited) ahead of time.
View 1 date & book
Thursday 29 January 2026
