Should we stop using the inactive X attendance codes for Covid-related absence?

The DfE have recently updated their guidance around recording covid-related attendance.

The DfE's Addendum: recording attendance in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) during the 2021 to 2022 academic year states that "Schools are no longer advised to record pupils who are not attending school for reasons related to coronavirus using Code X (not attending in circumstances related coronavirus)."

Which attendance codes should we use now?

I codes

• You can continue to use the I01 and I02 codes that map to I for attendance certificates and statutory roll call attendance.
• We will not be making these inactive.

X codes

• You should stop using the X01-X09 attendance codes to record current attendance.
• The X01-X09 attendance codes are still selectable so you can correct past attendance, but show the word 'inactive' to make it clear they are no longer valid.

• You can no longer select the X01-X09 attendance codes in registers.
• You can use X for children who are non-compulsory school age, when they are not required to attend.
• We renamed the description for the main X code back to just Non-compulsory school age to align with regulation changes by the DfE.

We have kept the X01-X09 attendance codes to enable you to amend past attendance marks to the correct code where needed. You can see how to do this for marks taken in Arbor here, or marks migrated from your previous MIS here. You will need to make sure all marks are recorded correctly before the Summer holidays.

The Covid-19 Dashboard

Schools are no longer required to submit weekly figures to the DfE. Because of this, schools do not need to use the Covid-19 Dashboard.

When you stop using the X01-X09 attendance codes, the Covid-19 Dashboard will no longer output numbers for Covid-related absence in rows 9, 11, 12 and 13.

We have not removed the Covid-19 Dashboard yet, as you may wish to use the date selector at the top to view numbers for past days.