Background
The DfE have requested changes to the attendance codes for 2024/2025 academic year.
We have estimated that the DfE attendance code changes will be released to all of our customers on the 16th of August, 2024.
These changes will take effect from August 19th, 2024, and will impact all schools in England using the Bromcom MIS and any new schools coming on board.
Below are the specific changes that will be applied to Bromcom in response to the new DfE guidelines.
The new attendance code set is part of latest Common Basic Data Set (CBDS) that DfE published.
For Third Party Guidance see here.
Change 1: Implementing the new two-character codes using the existing subcode feature.
Bromcom will utilise our existing subcode feature in the MIS to implement the new two-character attendance codes that DfE have requested. The new attendance codes, and subcodes will be available from August 2024.
Please see the new codes below, the areas highlighted in green are the new codes and subcodes, the mark description for existing codes will also be updated. The below tables shows the new mark description.
| Attendance Codes | New Mark Description | Mark Meaning | Export Marks |
| / | Morning session – present at the school when attendance register begins to be taken | Present | / |
| \ | Afternoon session – present at the school when attendance register begins to be taken | Present | \ |
| B | Attending a place for any other approved educational activity | Educational Activity | B |
| C | Absent with leave for other circumstances | Authorised Absent | C |
| D | Attending another school at which they are a registered pupil | Cancelled | D |
| E | Excluded from the school | Authorised Absent | E |
| G | Absent without leave for the purpose of a holiday | Unauthorised Absent | G |
| I | Unable to attend because of sickness | Authorised Absent | I |
| K | Attending a place, other than the school or another school at which they are a registered pupil, for educational provision arranged by LA | Educational Activity | K |
| L | Absent from the school when attendance register begins to be taken but attends before the taking of the register has ended | Present | L |
| M | Absent with leave for the purpose of attending a medical or dental appointment | Authorised Absent | M |
| N | Absent – circumstances not yet established | Unauthorised Absent | N |
| O | Absent – other circumstances | Unauthorised Absent | O |
| P | Attending a place for an approved educational activity that is a sporting activity | Educational Activity | P |
| Q | Unable to attend because of lack of access arrangements by LA to facilitate their attendance | Cancelled | Q |
| R | Day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the parent belongs | Authorised Absent | R |
| S | Absent with leave for the purpose of studying for a public examination | Authorised Absent | S |
| T | Mobile child whose parent is travelling in the course of their trade or business and is travelling with that parent | Authorised Absent | T |
| U | Absent for registration – arrived in school after registration closed | Unauthorised Absent | U |
| V | Attending a place for an approved educational activity that is a visit or trip | Educational Activity | V |
| W | Attending a place for an approved education activity that is work experience | Educational Activity | W |
| X | Absent with leave, not of compulsory school age and timetable does not require them to attend | Cancelled | X |
| Z | Pupil’s name entered in advance of start date | Cancelled | Z |
| Attendance Subcodes Codes | New Mark Description | Mark Meaning | Export Marks |
| C0 | Absent with leave for other circumstances | Authorised Absent | C |
| C1 | Absent with leave for the purpose of participating in a regulated performance | Authorised Absent | C1 |
| C2 | Absent with leave, of compulsory school age and temporary reduced timetable does not require them to attend | Authorised Absent | C2 |
| J1 | Absent with leave for the purpose of attending an interview for employment or for admission to another educational institution | Authorised Absent | J1 |
| Y1 | Unable to attend because school is not within walking distance of pupil’s home and transport to and from school normally provided is not available | Cancelled | Y1 |
| Y2 | Unable to attend due to widespread disruption to travel caused by a local, national, or international emergency | Cancelled | Y2 |
| Y3 | Part of the school premises is unavoidably out of use and pupil cannot be accommodated in parts of the premises that remain in use | Cancelled | Y3 |
| Y4 | Whole school closed when school was due to meet for a session, but session has been cancelled | Cancelled | Y4 |
| Y5 | Unable to attend because pupil is subject to a sentence of detention | Cancelled | Y5 |
| Y6 | Travel to or attendance at school would be contrary/prohibited by guidance/law relating to incidence or transmission of infection or disease | Cancelled | Y6 |
| Y7 | Unable to attend because of any other unavoidable cause | Cancelled | Y7 |
We will enhance our Attendance Codes’ export mark feature to support two-character attendance codes where they are used for CTF, Census or any other statutory returns.
Please not that C0 is not a DfE code, this has been added to utilise the existing subcode feature. However, during export mark C will be displayed.
Change 2: Updates to Bromcom MIS
Following the DfE guidelines, we are updating the below modules/areas on our system to support these changes. These areas will be enhanced to ensure that the new two-character attendance codes are visible and are correctly integrated into the relevant calculations for mark meanings.
- Attendance Dashboard
- Insights Dashboard
- Attendance Analysis
- MCAS
- Ad Hoc/Quick Reports
- Built in Reports
- MAT Vision
- Capita one exports
Change 3: Reporting
Ad Hoc/Quick reports and the built in reports will be updated to support and display the two-character codes, where attendance marks are reported. This covers both the new Statutory two-character codes and subcodes created by a school. All subcodes used to record attendance for a student will now be visible in Quick reports and the built in reports.
Change 4: Teacher Dashboards and Manage Attendance Pages updates
The new two-character codes by the DfE are not expected to be used by teachers, so, there will not be changes within the existing teacher dashboards. Teachers are not expected to use any of the two-character codes or(subcodes) on take register screens (Old and New UI) or the teacher App. This capability using subcodes will be reserved for roles with access to the attendance pages like; Manage Attendance and Bulk Attendance Update. Functionality will be linked to where the marks are entered, not specific roles.
Change 5: Changes to the Statutory explanation of some codes
The below codes may require statutory explanations, as per DfE guidelines. Statutory explanations will be made optional on the MIS. However, warning messages will be displayed highlighting the importance of recording an explanation based on the DfE guidelines.
- B
- K
- Y7
In the manage attendance pages, there will be a new option to record statutory explanation, this will be different from the current comment option which will remain unchanged.
Change 6: Retiring H attendance code & use of K code
In line with the DfE guideline, attendance code H will be retired and will no longer be available from August 2024. Authorised holidays will now be recorded using code C, if applicable.
If you have utilised “K” code before, the code will be claimed by DfE’s code set, so meaning and purpose of the “K” code will be changed from 24/25. If your school is setup to use any other custom attendance codes (i.e. A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0), they will remain unchanged and continue to work as they are now.
Change 7: CTF Exports
The Introduction of the two-character code requires the CTF Export Attendance string to be updated in line with CTF Technical Specification 2024 (CTF 24 Specification).
Attendance codes string will be stored are comma separated to allow for separation of codes which could be either one or two characters.
FAQ for DfE Attendance Code Set Changes
1. What are the new changes in the attendance codes for the 2024/2025 academic year?
The DfE has introduced new two-character attendance codes, which Bromcom will implement starting August 2024. This includes updating various modules and reports within the Bromcom MIS to accommodate these changes.
2. How will the new two-character attendance codes be implemented in Bromcom?
The new codes will be integrated using the existing subcode feature in Bromcom MIS. These codes and subcodes will be available from August 2024 and will be supported in exports for CTF, Census, and other statutory returns.
3. Which areas of the Bromcom MIS will be updated to support the new attendance codes?
The following areas will be updated:
- Attendance Dashboard
- Insights Dashboard
- Attendance Analysis
- MCAS
- Ad Hoc/Quick Reports
- Built-in Reports
- MAT Vision
4. Will teachers need to use the new two-character attendance codes?
No, teachers are not expected to use the new two-character codes in their dashboards or on take register screens. This functionality will be reserved for administrative attendance pages such as manage attendance and bulk attendance update.
5. How will reporting be affected by the new attendance codes?
Ad Hoc/Quick reports and built-in reports will be updated to display the new two-character codes. Both the statutory two-character codes and any subcodes created by schools will be visible in these reports.
6. What happens to the “H” attendance code?
The “H” attendance code will be retired and no longer available from August 2024. Authorised holidays will now be recorded using the “C” code, if applicable.
7. Will the meaning of any existing codes change?
Yes, the meaning and purpose of the “K” code will change as per the new DfE guidelines from the 2024/2025 academic year. Any other custom attendance codes that you have set up will remain unchanged. Please see point 10 for further guidance.
8. Are there any changes to the statutory explanations for some codes?
Yes, certain codes such as “B,” “K,” and “Y7” may require statutory explanations. While these explanations will be optional, warning messages will remind users of their importance. A new option to record statutory explanations will be added in the manage attendance pages.
9. How will the CTF exports be affected?
The CTF Export Attendance string will be updated to align with the CTF Technical Specification 2024. The attendance codes string will be comma-separated to accommodate both one and two-character codes.
10. What should I do if my school has been using custom attendance codes?
Most custom attendance codes you have set up (e.g., A, 1, 2, 3, etc.) will remain unchanged and will continue to function as before. If you utilise any code that is claimed by the DfE, then this code will not be available for your usage anymore, you need to find another code for you to use. The current meaning of the codes will end on the 18th of August 2024 and a new meaning according to DfE guidelines will be implemented from the 19th of August 2024. For example, if you have been using the K code, it will no longer be available for your use. From the 19th of August the meaning of this code will be changed according to the DfE guidelines.
11. When will these changes take effect?
These changes will take effect from August 2024.
12. How can we prepare for these changes?
Ensure that your staff are aware of the upcoming changes and familiarise themselves with the new codes and reporting updates. Training sessions and updated documentation from Bromcom will be available to assist with this transition. Nearer to the release time, we will share more detailed guides with screenshots for you to get trained and familiarise yourself.
13. Will there be training sessions available for understanding the new attendance codes?
Yes, Bromcom will provide training sessions to help users understand and effectively implement the new attendance codes. Details of these sessions will be communicated closer to the implementation date.
14. How will these changes impact historical attendance data?
Historical attendance data will remain unaffected by the new changes. The new two-character codes will only apply to attendance records from August 2024 onwards.
15. Will there be any changes to the attendance code input process for administrators?
Administrators who manage attendance will need to familiarise themselves with the new two-character codes and the updated interface on the Manage Attendance and Bulk Attendance Update pages. Training and updated documentation will be provided.
16. Can we customize the new two-character codes according to our school’s needs?
The new statutory two-character codes must be used as specified by the DfE. However, schools can still use custom subcodes alongside the statutory codes for their internal tracking purposes.
17. How will these changes affect schools outside of England using Bromcom?
The new DfE attendance codes are specific to schools in England. Schools outside of England using Bromcom MIS may not be affected by these changes but should verify with Bromcom for any regional updates or requirements.
18. Will there be any impact on third-party integrations with Bromcom?
Any third-party integrations that rely on attendance data may need to be reviewed and potentially updated to accommodate the new two-character codes. We recommend contacting your third-party providers to ensure compatibility. We are releasing separate guidance for our partners to follow.
19. How can we provide feedback or report issues with the new attendance codes?
Bromcom will provide a feedback channel for users to report any issues or provide feedback on the new attendance codes implementation. This information will be communicated to users prior to the implementation date.
20. Will there be an impact on the attendance-related notifications sent to parents?
Attendance-related notifications sent via MCAS, or other communication tools will be updated to include the new two-character codes where applicable. Your existing watchlists, rules and routines will not get affected as we are not doing any fundamental changes to the attendance codes architecture.
21. Are there any specific considerations for schools with many custom attendance codes or subcodes?
Schools with a significant number of custom attendance codes should review these codes to ensure they do not conflict with the new statutory codes.