- An EBSA Audit can give insight into strength and areas for development, helping schools and settings develop approaches to support students at risk of EBSA. EBSA Whole School Audit and Planning Tool.
- Flexible application of school policies, like behaviour and uniform policies, by incorporating reasonable adjustments, can enhance attendance. For instance, allowing pupils with sensory needs to wear softer fabrics or to remove ties. Another example is allowing fidgeting in lessons if it helps concentration and does not disturb others or a gentle reminder about tucking in a shirt, rather than a behaviour point.
- Training all staff on factors affecting attendance and EBSA helps them understand and address attendance challenges.
- There is a culture of professional curiosity about changes in attendance at the earliest stages
- Establishing clear processes for early identification, monitoring, and support of attendance issues
- Implementing ‘soft starts’ to the day or methods to facilitate transitions from home to school
- Maintaining relationships with pupils when they are not attending through check-ins, phone calls, sending work home.
“I cannot express enough that the relationships with the school staff have an impact on my child. When she is struggling with coming in a familiar friendly face of that staff member meeting her at the door was so supportive …. Sometimes she just couldn’t go in. Going home and trying again later in the day helped. During times of stress sensory overload like the restrictions of uniform haven’t helped, specifically school shoes. Wearing trainers made is possible to go in.”
Parent responding to our survey on attendance