SPM Development Services Limited
Assessment Policy
May 2025
Reviewed and Updated: September 2025
Next Review: September 2026, or sooner if statutory guidance changes.
Purpose
This policy sets out how SPM Development Services Ltd records, monitors and reports
attendance. It ensures compliance with statutory guidance, including ‘Working Together to
Improve School Attendance’ (2024) and the Children Missing Education statutory guidance
(2024). Attendance is a safeguarding issue and patterns of absence may indicate a child is at
risk of harm.
Scope
This policy applies to all pupils taught by SPM Development Services Ltd through local
authority or school commissioning arrangements, including those with Education, Health
and Care Plans (EHCPs) and those educated outside of school (EOTAS).
Recording Attendance
• Tutors must record attendance at every session, noting whether the pupil is present,
absent or late.
• Reasons for absence should be recorded if provided by the parent/carer.
• Records must be accurate and submitted promptly to SPM for central logging.
Reporting Absence
• If a pupil does not attend a planned session, the tutor must notify SPM immediately.
• Repeated absences or patterns of lateness must be reported to the DSL and
commissioning authority.
• Where there are safeguarding concerns linked to absence, the DSL must be informed
without delay.
Escalation Procedures
• Unexplained or persistent absence will be escalated by the DSL to the commissioning local
authority, in line with Children Missing Education guidance.
• Where a child’s whereabouts cannot be established, or there are concerns about safety,
the DSL will make a safeguarding referral to the local authority or contact the police if
necessary.
Parental Engagement
SPM will work with parents and carers to encourage good attendance, highlight the
importance of regular learning, and address barriers to attendance where possible. All
discussions with parents/carers about attendance will be recorded.
Safeguarding
Attendance concerns may be an indicator of safeguarding risks. All unexplained or unusual
patterns of absence must be referred to the DSL in line with the Safeguarding and Child
Protection Policy (2025).
Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if statutory guidance or commissioning
authority requirements change.