Developing a Culture of Attendance in

1. Developing a Culture of Attendance in METRO WEST DISTRICT

2. Action Zone Funding: In 2003 Central North West District was targeted to receive funding to improve attendance

3. Research Project 5 secondary schools and 5 primary schools with low attendance rates were invited to participate in a research project with the guidance of Professor Peter Cuttance, Director, Centre for Applied Educational Research, University of Melbourne

4. Aim ofResearch ProjectTo identify reasons for non-attendance of individual students and cohorts of students then to develop and trial differentiated strategies for improving attendance

5. Research Stages • DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS IDENTIFY, INFORM, INVOLVE • TRIALLING OF STRATEGIES INHIBITORS, INCENTIVES, INTERVENTION, INNOVATION

6. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISIDENTIFYCollect Accurate data Develop processes to ensure that accurate records are kept -School systems for data management -Ring families to check reasons for unexplained absences -Send home notes, conduct home visits

7. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISIDENTIFYAnalyse and categorise individual data Occasional: less than 3 days per term • State attendance target is 95%, or 2-3 days per term. Habitual: 3-9 days per term • Current state average is 92% or 4 days per term. Chronic: 10 days or more per term • This is 80% attendance : one day a week or more

8. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISIDENTIFYAnalyse cohort data • Targeted groups • Gender • Family / peer patterns • Year levels • Compare with achievement levels • Compare with behaviour data

9. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISIDENTIFYAnalyse data by other factors • Time of the day / day of the week • Term / time of the term • Distance from school • Weather • Lesson / teacher

10. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISINFORM • Provide data to class/ home group teacher on a regular basis for follow up • Discuss at staff / year level / case management meetings

11. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISINFORM • Make the whole community aware of the importance of regular attendance through brochures, newsletters, signs around the school • Use AEWs, BSSOs, translators

12. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISINFORM • Publicise targets and progress towards them • Publicise the links between achievement, wellbeing and regular attendance • Talk to students about the impact of their absences on their achievement

13. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISINVOLVE Involve as many groups as possible in setting goals and suggesting strategies: • SSOs, Home group or class teachers, year level managers, Counsellors, AETs, AEWs, • Students, parents, caregivers, mentors, family liaison workers • SRC, ASSPA, Governing councils, Focus groups

14. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISINHIBITORS • not having a hat or the correct uniform • not having done homework • fear of being late • dislike of subject / teacher • night job

15. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSISINHIBITORS • Transport problems • Family issues • caring for family member

16. TRIALLING OF SHORT-TERMSTRATEGIES

17. STRATEGIESDIFFERENTIATE Use different approaches with • Different ages • Different causes • Individual students

18. STRATEGIESINFORM • Regularly discuss progress with staff and students. • Provide printouts of data regularly to staff involved in monitoring • Have information about improvement towards goals up around the school for everyone to see.

19. STRATEGIESINVOLVE • Ensure that the focus of shared ownership is on building relationships not on punishing offenders. • Involve students in monitoring and publicising improvements in attendance

20. STRATEGIES SUPPORT Support families to take responsibility -Link with a support worker (Mentor, Peer support, Liaison worker, AEW, Counsellor) -Release staff to develop individualised programs -Provide a bus; childcare facilities

21. STRATEGIES PROVIDE INCENTIVES • Acknowledge improvement • Acknowledge staff and student efforts • Awards for individuals, groups, whole year level or whole school.

22. STRATEGIES Have a sliding scale of rewards for perfect or improving attendance eg • name called out at assembly for 2 weeks • certificates for 4 weeks • book prize for all term • McDonalds or canteen voucher for mid year

23. STRATEGIES -Raffle tickets for parents of preschool, JPs. -Thank-you notes for staff

24. STRATEGIES PROGRAM INCENTIVES • Before-school activities. • Fun activities at beginning of the day or on days of lowest attendance

25. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION Our longer-term aim is for improved relationships and pedagogy

26. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION • Ensure that the structures of our sites match the needs of the children and students • Ensure that the programs offered at our sites match the needs of the children and students

27. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION Look at pedagogy throughout the day • provide short-term incentives for engagement at regular intervals, • voluntary time-out procedures

28. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION • Intensive literacy / numeracy development; • Buddies / mentors / LAP / tutors / cross-age work;

29. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION • Individual on-line lessons, special programs for part of the day, small group projects; single-sex activities, early VET / work experience,alternative campus;

30. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION • Self-development programs eg Program Achieve, Western Youth Directions, Drug Strategy, Anti-bullying, Rock and Water

31. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION Identify at-risk students and monitor across transition points: • Preschool – Primary • Primary-Secondary • School-school

32. IDENTITY , INTERDEPENDENCE INNOVATION and INTERVENTION Increase co-operation across agencies, government departments and other services

33. Questions • Are we making the best use of Attendance counsellors and officers / Mentors / AEWs? • Can we change the way we work with these support people?

34. Questions • How are attendance services prioritised? • How do we broker appropriate support programs eg behaviour support?

35. Questions • What is the role of the AEW? Can they provide required support? Find someone else to do home visits if relationships aren’t positive? • Does providing transport work in the long run? Free bus tickets?

36. Questions • Does providing transport work in the long run? • Will providing free bus tickets assist?

37. Questions • Do we know that all chronic non-attenders have multiple needs and are beyond our capabilities to manage? How can we find this information

38. Questions How can we enforce the attendance of older students? • Should youth allowance be withdrawn or does this cause more disadvantage? • What can be done that will not penalise children?

39. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS • Continue a whole-school focus on attendance with clear processes and roles of all staff developed • Maintain practices and processes for monitoring and promoting student attendance:

40. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS • Maintain processes of data management, analysis and communication • Provide differentiated strategies for support, incentives and interventions

41. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS • Better coordinate the work of the individuals and agencies supporting targeted students • Continue to improve curriculum offerings and delivery

42. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS • That the Inclusion and Wellbeing subcommittee investigate different ways of using Attendance Counsellors

43. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS • Continue to target available resources to the habitual group because we believe that this is the group with whom we can make a difference. • The chronic non-attenders take up a disproportionate amount of time in supporting students and families

44. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS • Convene a community group to support Aboriginal attendance • Continue the work of the Family Liaison workers with targeted families • Seek funding to support programs

45. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE With continued funding support, we could • Investigate the questions posed re alternative ways of working • Provide intensive support for the development of individualised programs and structures in schools

46. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE With continued funding support, we could • More closely analyse and monitor data and ensure individual student follow-up support • Provide ongoing family support through mentors and liaison workers

47. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE We need systemic support structures to • Provide support for the 15.6% of students who are chronic non-attenders • Construct a simple data management system

48. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE We need systemic support structures to • Support parents to learn and exercise parenting skills to be able to influence students’ attendance • Enforce the responsibility of families to ensure their children’s attendance:

49. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE We need systemic support structures to • Manage the attendance of students with mental health issues • Ensure that the required student support is available from other government agencies

50. LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE We need systemic support structures to: • Develop a Government advertising campaign to promote attendance