Join us for this essential masterclass to explore and understand the challenge of increasing school absence for disadvantaged pupils. You will come away ready implement new ideas and proven strategies in your school.
Last year, almost two in five disadvantaged pupils (37.9 per cent) were persistently absent. This is also double the rate for their better-off peers. This means the disadvantage gap in attendance has widened by 6.7 percentage points, rising from 14.5 per cent in pre-pandemic 2018-19 to 21.2 per cent this year.
This full day masterclass has been designed to help school leaders identify the causes and consequences of disadvantage and put in place proven strategies to help improve attendance and outcomes for those learners. This comprehensive workshop will ensure that you feel empowered to put in place measures in your school that help you tackle the issue of persistent and severe absence amongst disadvantaged children.
With plenty of time to network throughout the day you will be able to ask the questions that matter most to you, and come away with strategies tailored to your setting.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Headteachers, Deputy Heads , Attendance Officers, Assistant Heads, Pupil Premium Leads, Inclusion Leads, DSLs and other members of the senior leadership team.
KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this masterclass, you will understand:
The current rules and guidance regarding attendance and your attendance policy
Why disadvantaged learners attend school less and the detrimental impact this can have on their learners
How to tackle the ‘home advantage’ and equip learners with the knowledge they need
What a 3-point plan to tackle disadvantage looks like
The impact that quality first teaching can have
How differentiation and additional interventions can support improved attendance for disadvantaged learners
How to ensure all stakeholders work together to support attendance
The importance of successfully engaging with parents around attendance and come away with practical tips for engaging effectively with parents of disadvantaged pupils
What a policy and procedure audit looks like and why its important
FACILITATOR
Matt Bromley is an education writer and advisor with over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as a secondary school headteacher and principal, FE college vice principal, and MAT director. He is a public speaker, trainer, and school improvement lead, and a primary school governor. He remains a practising teacher, currently working in secondary, FE and HE settings. Matt writes for various newspapers and magazines, is the author of numerous best-selling books on education, and co-hosts the award-winning SecEd podcast. He regularly speaks at national and international conferences and events, and he delivers teacher-training.
