What should a SENCo review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence?

Involve the SENCo when should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence is persistent, severe, worsening, affecting attendance or safety, or remains unclear after appropriate classroom teaching and adjustments.

Start with the pupil's experience

Talk with the pupil in a way they can access and ask what makes school easier, harder or more tiring. Gather the family’s knowledge and compare this with classroom observation, work samples, attendance or participation patterns and the pupil’s response to previous support. For persistent absence, the same outward behaviour can have very different causes, so a description of the difficulty is more useful than an assumption about motive.

For should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence, avoid assuming that one strategy will suit every pupil. Use examples from ordinary lessons, ask the pupil what helps, and make one purposeful change at a time. Keep changes that improve access or independence and reconsider those that do not.

What school can do

For should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence, avoid assuming that one strategy will suit every pupil. Use examples from ordinary lessons, ask the pupil what helps, and make one purposeful change at a time. Keep changes that improve access or independence and reconsider those that do not.

For should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence, avoid assuming that one strategy will suit every pupil. Use examples from ordinary lessons, ask the pupil what helps, and make one purposeful change at a time. Keep changes that improve access or independence and reconsider those that do not.

Keep expectations ambitious and realistic

For should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence, avoid assuming that one strategy will suit every pupil. Use examples from ordinary lessons, ask the pupil what helps, and make one purposeful change at a time. Keep changes that improve access or independence and reconsider those that do not.

For should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence, avoid assuming that one strategy will suit every pupil. Use examples from ordinary lessons, ask the pupil what helps, and make one purposeful change at a time. Keep changes that improve access or independence and reconsider those that do not.

Work with families and other professionals

Apply this principle specifically to should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence. Gather a few concrete examples, identify what makes the situation easier or harder, and choose a response that addresses the barrier rather than the surface behaviour. Review whether the pupil becomes more able to participate independently.

Review the response to should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence using a short before-and-after comparison. Look across more than one occasion and include the pupil’s view where possible. A strategy is worth keeping when it produces a meaningful improvement in the intended outcome, not merely because adults feel busy or the pupil appears compliant.

How to review impact

For should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence, avoid assuming that one strategy will suit every pupil. Use examples from ordinary lessons, ask the pupil what helps, and make one purposeful change at a time. Keep changes that improve access or independence and reconsider those that do not.

For should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence, avoid assuming that one strategy will suit every pupil. Use examples from ordinary lessons, ask the pupil what helps, and make one purposeful change at a time. Keep changes that improve access or independence and reconsider those that do not.

Questions for the SENCo

Apply this principle specifically to should a senco review when supporting a pupil with persistent absence. Gather a few concrete examples, identify what makes the situation easier or harder, and choose a response that addresses the barrier rather than the surface behaviour. Review whether the pupil becomes more able to participate independently.