About Us

Our Values: Belonging

Children First
Every decision should improve outcomes, opportunities and life chances for children and young people.

Belonging Matters
Children attend when they feel connected, valued and understood. We champion cultures where every child feels they belong.

Collaboration Over Isolation
The best solutions emerge when schools, families, professionals and communities work together.

Evidence Informed
We promote practical strategies, research-informed approaches and proven practice that make a real difference.

Integrity and Trust
We are honest, transparent and committed to sharing balanced perspectives, celebrating success whilst addressing challenges.

Innovation and Improvement
We believe there is always a better way. We encourage creativity, curiosity and continuous improvement in attendance practice.

Professional Generosity
We freely share knowledge, resources and expertise to help others succeed and strengthen the sector.

A Voice for Attendance
We are passionate advocates for attendance, inclusion and belonging, ensuring that the experiences of children, families and professionals are heard and valued.

Together, these values underpin our mission to support schools, champion attendance and help every child thrive

Belonging Matters

When children feel that they belong, they are more likely to attend, engage and succeed. A strong sense of belonging helps pupils build positive relationships, feel safe, develop confidence and overcome barriers to learning. Creating environments where every child feels valued, respected and connected is not simply good practice—it is fundamental to improving attendance, wellbeing and achievement. Belonging matters because every child deserves to feel that they are an important part of their school community

Our Mission

Our mission is simple

To support schools and professionals in creating the conditions where every child feels they belong, attends regularly and can achieve their full potential.

Through free and premium membership resources, professional development, webinars, practical toolkits, consultancy services and Attendance Magazine, we aim to provide evidence-informed support that can be applied immediately in schools and organisations.

What We Offer

• Free editions of Attendance Magazine

• Free Attendance news, research and policy updates

• Practical attendance resources and toolkits

• Professional webinars and training programmes

• Attendance leadership development

• School and Trust attendance reviews

• Bespoke consultancy and strategic support

• Access to a growing community of professionals

• Memberships for deeper insights

Founded by Practitioners working in schools

The National Attendance Portal has been developed by education professionals with extensive experience across primary, secondary, special and alternative provision settings.The platform is led by Colin Cattanach, an experienced Executive School Leader, School Improvement Partner and attendance specialist who has supported schools, trusts and education organisations across the country. Drawing upon decades of leadership experience, the Portal focuses on practical solutions that work in real schools, with real children and real families.

A Community for Positive Change

Improving attendance cannot be achieved by schools alone. It requires collaboration, compassion, strong systems and a shared commitment to removing barriers that prevent children from attending and succeeding. The National Attendance Portal exists to support that work. Whether you are a classroom teacher, attendance officer, senior leader, governor, trust executive, local authority officer or parent, we invite you to join our growing community. Together, we can create schools where every child is present, every child belongs and every child has the opportunity to succeed.

Because moments matter. Attendance counts.