We Need to Look For Warning Indicators Long Before A Student Disappears From Destination Data or Fails To Enrol On A Post-16 Course

We know that attendance remains one of the most closely monitored metrics in education. Still, for those working across further education, inclusion, and youth participation, it may tell us something far more important than whether a young person regularly attends lessons.  This is our opportunity to act earlier, a  warning sign that a young person is at risk of becoming NEET and it is evident long before a student disappears from destination data or fails to enrol onto a post-16 pathway.

There are often signs that a student’s connection with education is weakening, and reduced attendance is frequently one of the first and most visible indicators that a young person is struggling to engage. But the challenge for education and local authority leaders is recognising those warning signs early enough to intervene.

We have the opportunity to shift towards a more preventative approach

We have the opportunity to shift towards a more preventative approach, identifying and supporting children and young people at risk of disengagement earlier, before they go missing from education data. Unfortunately, attendance data is generally monitored retrospectively to review trends, trigger penalties or start intervention processes once a threshold has been surpassed. These actions matter, but they often take place only after multiple periods of absence have accumulated.

Underlying needs

As SEND specialists, we know that persistent absence is rarely caused by one identifiable factor. More often, it is symptomatic of a range of underlying needs, including SEND, either undiagnosed or not yet supported, social, emotional and mental health needs, low confidence and prior negative experiences of education, or it could be a contextual barrier, linked to a young person’s environment, daily routine or relationships.

But as a first signal, attendance data should prompt earlier conversations about need. For SENCos and education improvement teams, this means seeing attendance as a diagnostic tool, not simply a performance indicator.

Collaboration is key

Collaboration is key and to achieve this, we need to share information more effectively, so that local systems develop a clearer understanding of the relationship between attendance, engagement and NEET risk. For many young people who become NEET, disengagement from education does not happen overnight.

The importance of flexible pathways for young people who have disengaged from education

One common theme across NEET prevention is the importance of flexible pathways for young people who have disengaged from education. For some, traditional learning environments can become a barrier, but not an insurmountable one. It could be the physical classroom setting, the pressure of formal exams, anxiety or health needs.  For others, it could be unmet SEND needs or a conflict with peers that creates a barrier to attendance. These barriers need to be understood before they can be addressed in schools and colleges.

Solutions need to be dynamic and responsive to the needs identified. One such example might include remote invigilation when an exam hall (or lack thereof) becomes a barrier. Where appropriate, this enables students to sit exams in their own homes, in familiar surroundings and without being on roll with a physical school setting. In the digital age, this can easily help remove specific barriers to accredited qualifications and support re-engagement with learning and adult life. Tackling attendance and NEET is a system responsibility. As with any issue that spans schools, colleges, services and family contexts, neither attendance nor NEET can be solved by them working in isolation. Partnership across local authority teams is crucial, with commissioning teams, SEND services, education providers, alternative provision, youth services and employability teams working together.

A sign that the system is not yet meeting their needs

For a young person who is missing a significant amount of school or college, we must remember that it is not their intention to be absent nor become NEET. More often, it is a sign that the system is not yet meeting their needs, and so our attention must focus on how we can better support those needs.

If we look at non-attendance as an early warning indicator and work together to respond earlier and more flexibly, we have a real opportunity to change not just educational, but life outcomes.

By Dr Sharon Smith is the Assistant Head of Teaching & Learning (Quality) at Tute Education and a Research Associate and convenor within BERA’s Alternative Education Special Interest Group.

About Dr Sharon Smith EdD, HEA, MA, PGCE, BA Hons, MCCT

Dr Sharon Smith is an education researcher-practitioner specialising in alternative and inclusive online provision and system reform, leading evidence-informed innovation across school and local authority partnerships.

As Assistant Head of Teaching & Learning (Quality) at Tute Education and a Research Associate and convenor within BERA’s Alternative Education Special Interest Group, Sharon’s work focuses on ensuring that every young person has a meaningful pathway and a supported destination.