The Schools & Academies Show has partnered with VenturEd Solutions, to provide an exclusive lunch briefing on Thursday 1st May at the House of Lords.  

We know that tackling absence and improving attendance is one of the persistent challenges within the education sector today. Pupil absence risen since the pandemic and is now at 7.2%.   Staggeringly, in the academic year 2022/23, 21% of pupils were persistently absent, this means 1.6 million pupils were missing more than 1 in 10 days at school. What is more, 37% of pupils eligible for free school meals are persistently absent. These numbers paint a stark picture, and schools are unable to address this in isolation.   

It takes a village to raise a child and the need for cohesion between stakeholders in education has never been greater. The impact of parental engagement and their role as stakeholders in supporting pupil learning cannot be understated, nor can the correlation between attendance and attainment, and this is why we are hosting this exclusive briefing for trust leaders on 1st May 2025. 

We will explore real life applications, with proven success rates, on how your trust can foster stronger connections with parents and carers to drive up attendance. Join us to understand how to harness parental engagement as a positive force in your efforts to address absence.  

The imperative to have children in school has never been higher and the stakes are certainly high when it comes to attendance. This packed morning of content will equip you with the knowledge you need to mobilise your parental cohort and foster their supportive engagement for the benefit of your pupils and trust.