Five-session mentoring course

Truancy and school avoidance

Who it's for

Consider this course for a pupil showing:

Persistent unauthorised absence or repeated late arrivals that do not follow a clear anxiety pattern
Absences clustering around particular days, subjects or after weekends and holidays, more suggestive of disengagement than dread
Pupil describes school as 'not for them' or downplays its importance, rather than expressing fear or specific worry
Home or outside-school factors, caring responsibilities, an unsettled routine, or peer influence away from school, may be contributing alongside disengagement

What it works towards

Understand the specific personal reasons behind the pattern of absence, distinct from anxiety-driven avoidance
Rebuild a sense of connection and purpose in attending school
Identify realistic practical barriers and problem-solve around them with the pupil, not for them
Agree and begin a graded, realistic plan to improve attendance, with clear roles for pupil, mentor and family

The five sessions

Session 1 What is really going on Pupil can describe, in the pupil's own words, the main reasons behind the pattern of absence, without judgement.
Session 2 What is pulling me away from school Pupil identifies specific pull factors, things drawing the pupil away, versus push factors, things making school unappealing.
Session 3 What school could give me Pupil identifies at least one source of connection or purpose at school worth showing up for.
Session 4 Solving my biggest barrier Pupil and mentor agree a practical plan that targets the single biggest barrier identified so far, whatever form it actually takes.
Session 5 My attendance plan Pupil has a graded, realistic attendance plan and understands what happens next.

A sixth session follows, without the pupil: the mentor writes the support plan and agrees next steps.

The approach, and where it comes from

This module draws on the DfE's statutory guidance Working together to improve school attendance, which distinguishes disengagement- and circumstance-driven absence from emotionally based school avoidance (covered separately in Anxiety and avoidance, Module 6) and calls for schools to understand the specific reason behind each pupil's absence rather than applying a single standard response. It also reflects Ofsted's inspection framework, under which attendance sits alongside behaviour in a single evaluation area, reinforcing that improving attendance is inseparable from a pupil's wider sense of belonging and engagement, not just a compliance matter. Where Module 6 addresses fear- and anxiety-driven non-attendance, this module is for pupils who are absent through disengagement, competing priorities or drift, and is designed to run alongside the school's attendance team and, where relevant, the Education Welfare Officer.

Try it with a small group

Three weeks free, no card, up to three staff and ten pupils. Everything recorded during the trial carries over if you continue.

Start the free pilot