Attendance is universally recognised as a key factor in student success. However, in alternative provision (AP) settings, like those that Catch22 deliver in Suffolk, Norfolk, London and Wales, where students often face significant barriers to education, regular attendance takes on even greater importance.
AP schools are designed to provide a bespoke and specialised provision that supports students to re-engage in learning. Students may have been excluded from a previous setting, out of education for a sustained period, or have social, emotional and mental health needs that mainstream models of learning are unequipped to address.
So, why does attendance matter so much in AP?
The obvious reason is that even the best-designed programs require a level of engagement to achieve their intended impact. At its core, good attendance in AP creates strong relationships and stable routines, which in turn drives positive outcomes. These two factors can be lacking in AP cohorts, the students of which have often passed through several education settings and interacted with various teams and agencies before arriving at one of our AP schools.
Strong Relationships
Many students at our AP schools have been excluded from at least one previous education setting, sometimes more. There is an overwhelming feeling of being “let down” or “passed around” by these services. This leads to considerable mistrust and disillusionment from the system in general and subsequent disengagement. The student-teacher relationship is therefore a key foundation to positive learning experiences. Small class sizes and personalised support facilitate strong and trusting relationships, helping to increase student engagement and motivation, but can only develop with regular contact.
Stable Routine
For many students in AP, life outside of school can be unsettled. Consistent and regular attendance creates a helpful routine for students and having a “constant” removes much of the anxiety surrounding school; students know what to expect when they come in each day, which helps to build resilience when there are uncertainties in other areas of their life. Similarly, being part of a consistent peer group allows learners to practice and improve their interactions with others in a supportive environment.
“Without Catch22 in Norwich, I would not have attended school at all and would not have had any hope to achieve the results I have. I am so excited to now have accepted a place at college.” – Student at Include Norfolk
Approaches to Improving Attendance in AP Settings
Early interventions and bespoke support plans
Regular monitoring allows schools to intervene before attendance problems become entrenched. This might involve setting up attendance review meetings, conducting home visits, or working with external agencies to provide additional support. We know that the rigidity of a traditional mainstream classroom can become a further barrier to engagement for many of the students we work with. Without a flexible and supportive classroom approach, one that is designed to cater to specific learning styles, we often see this turn into a recognised mental health concern known as ‘school emotional avoidance’. At Catch22, education is therefore delivered in small class sizes through tailored packages and therapeutic interventions, with acknowledgement that a ‘one size fits all’ model does not always work for our learners.
Such a flexible approach may involve considering remote or online learning, which Catch22 have found to be hugely successful in re-engaging persistent non-attenders. Cloud 22 is the remote schooling option, bred out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote education. During this time, Catch22 delivered online teaching and began to see pupils appear online who had little or even zero attendance in the school to date. Since then, Cloud 22 has expanded its reach, supporting 32 students last year who would have otherwise been out of education.
“If Cloud 22 didn’t exist, she wouldn’t have been able to access any education for Year 11.” – Parent of student at Cloud 22
Parental and Community Involvement
Strengthening the connection between the school, parents and the wider community can have a positive impact on attendance. Schools can engage parents by keeping them regularly informed about their child’s progress and involving them in decision-making. Our AP schools share positive progress with parents and carers, encouraging celebration of student improvement at school and at home. As praised by Estyn in their 2020-2021 annual report, Include Wales delivers parent evenings, engagement events such as coffee mornings and home visits have all also proved hugely successful strategies contributing not just to attendance, but towards identifying and intervening with other risks and safeguarding. Community partnerships can also provide additional support, such as mentoring programs or transportation assistance.
Regular attendance in AP is not just a matter of academic success; it is critical in rebuilding trust and reigniting a love of learning for students who have faced significant challenges in their educational journey; providing the support needed to help students re-engage with education and develop the resilience to thrive both in school and beyond. Whether with students themselves, or with their surrounding networks, building consistent and stable relationships, routine and reassurance should be the foundation of any school’s attendance strategy. Find out more about our schools and their approach.