Development of plans, policies and guidance: Exemplification of staged intervention for attendance
This model supports the application of both local authority and establishment level attendance policies and procedures. It ultimately supports attendance of all learners and specifically for those where there is an attendance concern.
Key principles
Early intervention
Attendance concerns are noted and monitored at the earliest stage with advice and support being provided to learners and their families to prevent attendance concerns becoming chronic. Research tells us that persistent absence (90%, or below) means attainment is already impacted.
Whole school approach
Attendance must be a whole school priority (responsibility of all). All adults understand that everyday interactions with learners can promote wellbeing and a sense of belonging and connectedness.
Collaborative working
Collaborative working with learners, parent/carers, staff and partners promotes better understanding and assessment of needs to identify and implement appropriate supports.
Learner and parent/carer participation
Learner and parent/carer participation ensures their views are considered meaningfully regarding addressing barriers to attendance and finding effective supports or solutions.
Approaches are supportive rather than punitive
Approaches are supportive rather than punitive learner re-engagement and planning for catching up on lost learning is always prioritised.
Addressing barriers to attendance
Addressing barriers to attendance may require exploring creative solutions (temporary or longer-term) such as adjusting start or finishing times, soft starts, adaptations to the learning, changing the physical or social learning environment or the curriculum (personalised or flexible programmes).
Staged intervention
Staged intervention to promote attendance and reduce absence is supplementary to staged interventions which address other additional support needs. Staged intervention models usually involve 3 stages. In this example, however, 4 stages are used to include the universal and preventative processes that schools should have in place to promote attendance and engagement all the time. For example:
- Universal: Preventative - at class/school level
- Additional: Low level intervention - targeted to individual needs but may still happen within universal settings or may require withdrawal from class/setting.
- Enhanced: Highly individualised targeted support - may be multi-service and multi-tired e.g. support from outreach, EPS, CLD for learner, parent/carer, or family.
- Intensive: Higher level of support - may include alternative provision or multi-agency support e.g. from health, police, etc.
Universal assessment is the responsibility of practitioners and may also involve pastoral support depending on the setting.
- CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scales, Glasgow Motivation and Wellbeing Profiles, or SHANARRI, to identify push-pull factors influencing absence. These are experiences which are pushing a learner out of school or pulling them away from school. It may also be possible to identify pull factors which could encourage them to attend. ‘Push-pulls’ factors should be considered in 4 categories of: school/classroom, peer/social, family, or individual needs
- Learner’s views are gathered through discussion with a trusted adult. Parent/carers views and concerns are also sought
Prompt questions
- What is the reason of the absence? What are the barriers to attendance?
- Are there patterns in attendance / period truancy?
- Are there any identified triggers to non-attendance? Can action be taken to minimise triggers?
- How is the learner coping with the curriculum?
- Who would be a key adult for the learner?
Universal support planning
- Review how all learners’ needs are met at a universal level and how this may be strengthened/adapted to meet all needs.
- Gathered information is used to plan interventions and supports in collaboration with the learner(s) and potentially parent/carers. Support options explored. Least intrusive interventions should be considered first, i.e. what can be done at whole class/cohort level to support individuals within that class/cohort. For example, ASN adaptations, differentiation, etc. Additionally, support may not be an individual intervention but an existing support within school such as, breakfast club, alternative break or lunch plans, soft start, time out card, etc.
- If a plan is required for an individual, then it is created and agreed with the learner and parent/carer
- Interventions/individual plans are implemented and followed, regularly reviewed and monitored for effectiveness
- Planning for transitions at whole cohort level and individual level is an embedded universal support. Cognisance taken of significant transitions such as P7-S1, BGE-SP, leaving school or care placements. However, this could also include small transitions such as change of people, place or task.
- Carefully consider how attendance data is shared with parents/carers in a timely and supportive way
- Monitor attendance SEEMiS data in line with guidelines (timescales for monitoring may be shortened at school level depending on level of need/risk)
Other resources/actions
- Group call
- Letter for unexplained absence
- Letter for attendance below XX% (threshold set by local authority)
- School/class/Individual attendance monitoring
Additional assessment is the combined responsibility of practitioners, pastoral support and potentially senior leaders.
- Review universal supports already tried to evaluate what has and has not worked
- If required, re-engage with the learner to explore their views and experiences of school
- Use open questions and collaborative problem solving
- Consider using CIRCLE School Participation Scale, School Experience Contextual Assessment Tool (with upper primary or secondary pupils), or Everyday Counts Toolkit (in development), to help understand barriers to attendance. All potential push-pulls should be considered: school/classroom, peer/social, family circumstances or the individual’s needs
- Seek parent/carers understanding of their role in supporting attendance and any support they may need
- Consider consultation with link educational psychologist (EP) and/or partner agencies for advice
Prompt questions
- What are the learner’s strengths, interests and aspirations?
- When do things go well? What makes the difference?
- Are there health concerns? Should school liaise with school nurse?
- Are there specific barriers that need to be worked on? E.g. independent travel. How can these be addressed?
- How does the family model positive coping skills? Are family supports required? What supports would the family engage with?
Additional support planning
Identify key link person in school. This should be an adult with whom the learner has an existing positive relationship. Identified link should be agreed with the child or young person
- Plan co-created with learner, parent/carer and any partners involved. Plan shared with relevant staff
- If partner services/agencies are to be involved, hold a child’s plan meeting. The child’s plan meeting should:
- Discuss and agree understanding of barriers to attendance and function of non-attendance
- Agree a shared long-term goal and short-term targets
- Agree supports/interventions which address barriers and functions of non-attendance
- Agree support to be provided by relevant partners
- Regularly review and evaluate the plan including the barriers to attendance, function of attendance, goals/targets and effectiveness of the interventions
- When appropriate and timely, use existing relationships and school level supports to minimise intrusion and potential disengagement due to perceived stigma
- Recognition of improvements in attendance at an individual and school level may be helpful
- Consider referral to multi-agency planning forum
Other resources/actions
Letter for attendance below XX% (threshold set by local authority)
Enhanced assessment is the combined responsibility of practitioners, pastoral support and senior leaders but may also involve other agencies/services.
- Regular review of effectiveness of current plan/child’s plan (short timescales e.g. every four or six weeks) including:
- the barriers to attendance (these may have changed over time)
- ensuring barriers are addressed and supports meet individual needs
- consider using School Refusal Assessment Scale (SRAS) to better understand function of non-attendance – pupil and parent version aids triangulation
- consider support needed in school, at home and for parents and who is best placed to provide this
- consider a referral to other agencies for support
- The key link adult continues to engage with the learner to help them express their views and supports them to be at the centre of the planning and review process. This should not only focus on learning but more broadly on interests, strengths and aspirations
Prompt questions
- Is educational progress being made? If so where, when, with whom….?
- Are targets and supports addressing wellbeing?
- Are there small achievable targets agreed and regularly reviewed?
- Are there opportunities for progressing integration through small groups or split placements (attending some classes with some time in an alternative space)?
- To what extent are social and community links being maintained? How can this be improved / built on?
- Are supports effective? Are they being implemented appropriately and everywhere? Is the support consistent?
Planning
- School continues to have an overview of learner needs and responsibility for the school’s role in the agreed plan. Assessment at this level will be collaborative and may draw on specialised assessments from partners
- With young person’s / parental permission, consider whether information should be shared with GP/CAMHS
- Consider using a creative, individualised approach. This may include using alternative curricular activities, flexible pathways, involving partner agencies in supporting the learner and/or family, and considering alternative locations for interventions
- If the learner is on a part-time timetable, refer to part-time timetable guidance and ensure that this is regularly reviewed. Part-time timetables require careful consideration and should not be used as a standalone intervention for attendance difficulties
- Consider compulsory measures - Consider compulsory measures - referral to the Attendance Group/Committee or SCRA
Other resources/actions
- Letter for attendance below XX% (threshold set by local authority)
- Letters for referral to attendance group/committee or SCRA
Intensive assessment is the responsibility of the agencies involved. The named person is responsible for coordination of supports.
- Multi-agency assessment/intervention should be integrated to support holistic understanding of needs
- Ongoing and regular re-assessment of the barriers to attendance, the function of non-attendance and the effectiveness of interventions
Prompt questions
- Are planned supports appropriate and effective? Are there issues with implementing the supports?
- Is education the priority or is health and wellbeing? Are the targets/supports also addressing wellbeing needs?
- Have the learner’s views been properly considered? Are goals meaningful to the learner/parent/carer?
- Do targets need to be made smaller and more achievable? Are they reviewed regularly enough?
- Are key relationships being maintaining/strengthened? Are there opportunities to further/accelerate integration back into school? Or could wellbeing/learning goals be better met in a different context (e.g. community setting?)
- Are social and community links being built/maintained/strengthened?
Planning
- If attendance and engagement continue to deteriorate, more intensive supports should be considered including:
- An individualised timetable/flexible programme (including college, work experience, volunteering, or training)
- Access to an alternative learning provision/location
- Alternative placement may be considered
- Community-based support
- Structured graded exposure plan in cases of emotionally based absence / school-related anxiety
- Individualised planning continues to focus on addressing needs and includes a focus on:
- maintaining key relationships
- key supporting adults having the resources/time they need
- short term manageable goals with awareness of how these contribute to long term goals
- Review timescales and reflect on level of need/risk
- Consider wellbeing/welfare checks in order that the child or young person is seen at least weekly.
- Consider Sustained Emotionally Based Absence (SEBA) intervention.
- Consider whether a co-ordinated support plan is required.
- Consider compulsory measures - referral to the Attendance Group/Committee or SCRA
Other resources/actions
- Letter for attendance below XX% (threshold set by local authority)
- Letters for referral to attendance group/committee or SCRA
