School Attendance Support Team (SAST)

Service details

Who are we? 

The School Attendance Support Team provides advice and guidance to all educational settings in Hackney about pupils' regular school attendance. This includes advice on relevant statutory legislation.


The Law and school attendance 

Parents must make sure their children get the right education to meet their needs. Being absent from school means your child will lose an opportunity to learn.

All children between 5 and 16 years old must get an education. You could face legal action if your child does not attend school regularly and on time.

If you are sent to court, you may:

  • be fined up to £2,500; and/or
  • get a three-month prison sentence.

Courts may also:

  • issue a Parenting Order; or
  • ask the LA to apply for an Education Supervision Order.

What do we do? 

Our officers can advise on children whose attendance levels have fallen to persistently absent (attendance below 90%) or severely absent (attendance at or below 50%) levels.

The service also offers statutory intervention regarding:

  • Poor school attendance
  • Prosecutions
  • Fixed penalty notices etc.
  • Licensing for children in employment, and
  • Children engaged in public performances or entertainment

As well as the statutory support for schools, schools can commission a bespoke service that allows the team to work closely with pupils and families to understand and address the underlying causes of non-attendance.


Authorised Absences 

Absences can be authorised by your child's school for genuine reasons including the following:

  • Sickness
  • Medical or dental appointments
  • Days of religious observance
  • Exceptional family circumstances e.g. bereavement

What if my child is struggling with school attendance because of their mental health?

If your child is feeling highly anxious about school and there is no clear reason please speak to the school's SENCo and the school’s Mental Health Support Team's Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs).

Children on the school roll who are currently experiencing EBSA (Emotional Based School Avoidance) should have their needs discussed with the Team Around the School (TAS). This is a multi-disciplinary team of services that provide individualized advice. Their absence should be recorded as an illness as advised in the recent DfE guidance “Summary of Responsibilities Where a Mental Health Issue is Affecting Attendance” (PDF).


What if my child has a medical need? 

Please tell your child’s school as soon as possible if they are not able to attend school due to a medical need.

Children who are in e.g. hospital for an extended time may be able to access support via their school from the Medical Need Tuition Service and the Specialist Teacher for Medical Needs.

If your child has SEN (special educational needs) and or disability that is affecting their school attendance and you need specialist advice and support you can contact the FREE impartial SEND Information, Advice, and Support Service.

SEND Local Offer

Local Offer Age Bands
Primary 4 -10
Secondary 11-14
Preparing for Adulthood 14-18
Parents and Carers
SEN Provision Type
  • Universal
  • Targeted

Who to contact

Contact Name
Nicky Pailing
Contact Position
School attendance officer
Telephone
020 8820 7288 020 8820 7288 020 8820 7288 020 8820 7288
Website
education.hackney.gov.uk/.../attendance
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Where to go

Name
Hackney Education 3rd Floor
Address
Hackney Service Centre
1 Hillman Street
Hackney
London
Postcode

E8 1DY

View E8 1DY on a map
Venue Notes

Buses: 30, 38, 48, 55, 106, 236, 242, 253, 276, 277, D6

Train: London Fields, Hackney Central, Hackney Downs

Time / Date Details

Time of day
  • Morning
  • Afternoon
Session Information
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

Other details

Who is eligible?

The service is available to all families of pupils attending a Hackney education setting even if they do not currently live in Hackney. 

Referral Details

Referrals are made by schools, but parents can also self-refer to the service and referrals are accepted from professionals who may be working with children and families where school attendance is a contributing factor in their work. 

Contact the service on the number provided to discuss any referrals. 

What to do if you have a complaint

If you have any feedback about the service you received discuss it with the worker or if you prefer the manager of the service. They will use what you say to look at how they deliver their service.

If you have a situation that you are still not happy about then you can raise a formal complaint. This means someone who is not part of the service will look at what has happened and what might need to be done to help. 

Information about Hackney complaints procedure is available here.

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Disclaimer

Read our disclaimer - important information about Hackney SEND Local Offer and FIS

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