Attendance

Timetables and daily offerings.

Photo by Sylwia Bartyzel on Unsplash

Thoughts and musings

Attendance is a topic of conversation and deliberation which sits very much at the forefront of day-to-day thoughts and administration in school settings. I have been wary about writing on this subject as it has such a depth of complexity. I don’t believe there is an easy answer to improving pupil attendance. Considerations around the needs of individual pupils, families, communities and settings need to be taken into account and therefore a one-size-fits-all formula will not exist.

Instead, I would like to offer some thoughts and ideas which I have been lucky enough to discover along my journey in education, across the years and the countries I have worked in. More recently, I have been fortunate enough to become a governor at a nearby Primary School. This is the first time I have stepped into this position and what a rewarding experience it is proving to be. For my own professional development, considering perspectives in education as a stakeholder who is not in teaching employment at the school is interesting and is providing me with a further set of skills and responsibilities.

Attendance was on the agenda recently, as I am sure is the case for many schools during their own Governors’ Meetings. Understanding the data around identified groups of children, the school’s staffing journey and further information around wider context in the community was not only helpful but integral to the identified goals and objectives. Being part of this discussion, where leaders and staff members were thinking dynamically about authentic and invested ways in which they support children and their families and carers, elicited a sense of positivity and productivity around attendance.

Ideas and practical suggestions

So, when considering ways in which pupil attendance could be raised, what factors may benefit from a light being shone on them? Below are two suggestions which I hope can be actioned with minimal time spent preparing. Think of these more as a shift towards intentionality and flexible thinking when considering daily timetables and curriculum offerings.

Now, I am not at all advocating for flash in the pan, gimmicky ideas which aim to entice children through the door for a stand-alone event in the half-term. Instead, I would like to offer the idea of keeping the timetabling of lessons and experiences fresh, a little unpredictable and exciting.

I have worked in schools where the timetable runs like clockwork. Everyday starts with Maths for an hour, followed by break, Writing, Reading, lunch and a rotation of the remainder of the curriculum subjects across the afternoons. Now, I understand that some schools are constrained by timetables linked to whole-school groupings and external providers for specialist subjects. However, does this affect every day? Could there be an argument for “mixing it up”? How can responsive changes to the timetable and creative curriculum planning positively pique children’s interest?

1. Timetables

• Ask the children what they like to learn and when. This was an idea picked up at Birmingham University, Dubai’s ‘Action Research Network’ showcase. Two teachers had identified one particular Year Group where progress had slowed and attainment was not as high as others. Pupil voice was high on their data collection agenda. Through speaking to these identified classes about their favoured learning habits, they decided to experiment with changing the timetable to fit the cohort’s average feedback, placing more creative, open-ended subjects like Art and Reading in the morning and more focused activities like Maths and Writing after break - when the children identified they would have more energy as they had eaten their snack and had the chance to play and catch-up with their friends.

• The impact was notable. Not only were increases in progress and attainment apparent but the children’s behaviour improved. They were more focused in lessons. There were less reports of disruptions (including at playtimes) and the children reported enjoying their new timetables. I think there is a lot to be said for valuing and elevating pupil voice and agenda. Small changes truly could make a big difference.

  2. “I can’t wait for…”

  • Plan joyful experiences - daily. I have referenced my belief in the importance of teacher’s actively engaging with the joy of planning a number of times¹. This goes beyond a stand-alone celebration day. I am sure we can all reflect on the times when it has been Sports Day, World Book Day, Enterprise Day, Maths Day (insert out-of-the-ordinary celebration here) and the children appear at the school gate with a spring in their step (punctually) and in increased numbers. There is something in this.

  • I am not suggesting that every day needs to include a dress-up or a painstakingly detailed plan of experiences. It could be as simple as including a small hook at the end of the previous lesson that will be followed up the next day. Taking the children outside. Finding ways to equate an objective to a real-life experience. Using technology to add an extra depth of understanding and playing a teaser clip the day before. You will know what motivates the children in your class.

  • Identifying trends in low attendance is helpful here. It is empowering. What creative ideas could be put into place to motivate a particular group of children? Consider giving responsibility as a motivator. In my previous post, ‘Choices’² I discuss practical ways to elevate individual and whole-class responsibility. Getting a class or school pet is a big commitment but the motivation for the children as they looked after and spent time with their beloved fish truly was a game changer for me.

I am currently enjoying reading. Recommended for further ideas around context and social justice:

You may be interested in listening to:

1. The joy of lesson planning

2. Choices