Developing a school culture where children feel they belong is an important piece of the puzzle when improving attendance.
Persistent absence and a sense of belonging often go hand-in-hand; to influence one is to influence the other. It’s hard to fit in somewhere if you are often absent and therefore aren’t able to get to know your teachers, make friends or understand what you are learning in class. That, in turn, can lead to more resistance to attending school.
The power of belonging
Research carried out by University College London’s Institute of Education found that strategies which created a sense of belonging in schools were linked to a reduction in student absence. So how can schools embed this sense of belonging?
Break the cycle together
Just as attendance is a whole school issue, belonging is something that every member of staff should be actively reinforcing.
Consider how children know they belong at your school. How can you solidify your message? What can staff say or do to exemplify it in their interactions with children or in communications with parents and carers?
A warm welcome and a good end
Whether it’s in the classroom, the playground, the dining hall or during individual conversations with children, all interactions – however small - can promote a sense of belonging.
The whole class group can be overwhelming for some pupils, and in these cases a smaller welcoming session might be helpful such as a short activity with a teaching assistant.
Younger children especially might benefit from a ‘good end’ to their day. Examples of this could include:
- Letting children know what they can look forward to learning tomorrow.
- Leaving the class reading book on a cliff hanger.
- Simply saying “I hope you have a good weekend and I look forward to seeing you on Monday.”
Build small communities within the school
It might be difficult to make every child feel as if they belong within a big school community, so it can be helpful to think small.
Class groups are a good place to start – for example, team building activities and inter class/house competitions. Offering lunchtime and after school clubs where children can meet like-minded pupils that share their hobbies and interests can also be beneficial
Taking the message to parents and carers
Your message of belonging should also be reinforced with parents, carers and the local community.
You may have hard to reach communities where there is a language or cultural barrier which could make families feel marginalised, or parents who had a bad experience at school themselves.
Parent participation events, such as an open class morning or a world food day, can welcome more families into the school community and reinforce your ethos that everyone belongs and is welcome at your setting.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to improving attendance as each child’s individual circumstances and the root cause of them missing days at school is different. However, you can create the conditions needed for children to feel they belong at school.
That’s a very powerful tool in improving attendance as well as boosting motivation, confidence and educational outcomes for all children.
Anne Peck is Head of Primary Curriculum at HFL Education.
