Better Attendance Starts with Stronger Parent Relationships

Why attendance won’t improve until we embed long-term parental engagement

E

very September, the attendance alarm bells ring.

This year is no different – except louder.

Ministers are warning parents. Fines are back on the table. Schools are under pressure to fix attendance – and fast.

But here’s the problem: You can’t fix a long-term issue with short-term pressure. And you can’t build trust with threats.

The missed opportunity hiding in plain sight

Let’s be blunt: many schools are doing everything they can.

But too often, parental engagement is still treated like a tick-box exercise. It’s reactive. Tokenistic. Sporadic. Managed through admin rather than strategy.

The real question is this:

Is parental engagement embedded in your school strategy… or buried in your inbox?

Attendance isn’t just about policy. It’s about people.

We know this not just from research, but from experience on the ground:

• When parents feel heard, informed and respected, attendance improves.

• When staff are trained to communicate – not just instruct – relationships grow.

• When trust is built consistently – not only when there’s a problem – children feel supported and show up.  

This isn’t a theory. It’s backed by evidence. And more importantly – it works.

The risk of going backwards

The current push for punitive measures risks taking us backwards – towards a ‘parent-child’ model of control that no longer reflects how young people are coached or how schools operate.

Today’s education culture values:

• Encouragement over reprimand

• Equality over competition

• Support over punishment

Fines and enforcement contradict this ethos. They don’t just alienate families – they undermine the inclusive, trusting relationships schools work hard to build. We don’t need more compliance. We need more connection.

The Four Pillars: A better way forward

At Fit2Communicate, we’ve developed the Four Pillars of Parental Engagement – a practical model for schools ready to stop firefighting and start planning.

• Knowledge – Equip parents with clarity: what to do, why it matters, and how to support

• Environment – Make school feel accessible, not overwhelming

• Culture – Build trust that’s stronger than any policy

• Communication – Be consistent, inclusive, and human

This isn’t about extra workload. It’s about making the communication schools already do more impactful, more intentional – and more honest.

So what can you do right now?

Start small. And focus on what matters. Choose one priority – like how you communicate attendance data – and make it easier for parents to understand and act on.

Pause talking. Increase listening. Ask parents what support they need. Then use the answers to shape your strategy.

Build your plan. Own the process. Don’t wait for Ofsted. Don’t wait for a crisis. Make parental engagement a proactive and fundamental part of your school business plan.

Final thought

We can’t fine our way out of this. We can’t scare parents into showing up.

But we can build relationships that bring them closer. Not just to fix attendance – but to change lives.

It’s time to step forward – not backward. To shift from pressure to partnership. From punishment to purpose.

Let’s stop firefighting. Let’s improve listening.

Need support to plan it properly?We work with schools and trusts across the UK to put lasting, inclusive parental engagement at the heart of their strategy. Contact us at hello@fit2communicate.com for a no obligation conversation. We are here to help.

Four Pillars resources:

• Find out how you are doing with the Four Pillars self-evaluation

• Take a look at the Four Pillars overview in terms of what parents need

• Read our 'Building Bridges: Enhancing Parental Engagement in Modern Education' report