ATTENDANCE
Are sanctions working? As nobody is currently checking, it’s impossible to say. But for families already in financial crisis, it’s hard to see how punishments could help. As so often, turning the situation around is about spending more money on the right things and ensuring that families know what’s out there. Inspection reports for our area’s schools often praise the superb levels of pastoral care, from well-resourced wellbeing centres to quiet spaces for pupils who need time to reflect. For children affected by emotionally based school avoidance or EBSA (formerly known as school refusal), it isn’t that they don’t want to go to school. Overwhelming feelings of anxiety experienced mean it’s simply impossible. Common sense suggests that forcing a school refuser back into class is only going
“Turning the situation around is about spending more money on the right things and ensuring that families know what’s out there”
to make things worse. A concerted push to increase resources is needed urgently, in order to shorten waiting lists of months – or even years – before children needing assessments or support have access to a healthcare professional. Schools in our area are increasingly turning to a range of initiatives, looking for a combination that will work for the specific child. Intervening early, involving the family and highlighting some of the child’s achievements – however small they
may be – could all be part of the process, as could interventions based on enjoyable activities (perhaps sports?) to help draw them back in. While there’s no quick fix when it comes to pupil attendance, a growing awareness of all the reasons children might be missing school (as so often, it’s complicated) is an important step in improving the situation. And it’s one our schools are addressing with compassion and commitment.
CAMBRIDGE EDUCATION GUIDE 27
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