Prevention of dropout by control and follow-up of attendance and absence at school

Prevention of dropout by control and follow-up of attendance and absence at school

1. Vision on absence: different kinds, causes, approach

2. Registration and analysis of attendance and absence

3. Communication to pupils, parents, teachers, special needs policy, external partners, Department of Education

Guidance of attendance and absence

1. Vision : how do look at attendance and absence?

Do we make a difference between different kinds of absence?

The causes of absence make a difference among trunants. Which different groups of causes can we distinguish?

1. Vision : kinds of absence

1. Vision : kinds of absence

Legal absenteeism = f.i. illness, funeral Illegal absenteeism :

1. Absolute absenteeism : not registered in a school or education at home 2. Relative absenteeism : a registered pupil is absent without valid reason.

1. Vision : kinds of absence

Luxury truant (f.i. leave early on holiday, ...) Occasional truant (incidental, non-recurring,

to get a feeling of belonging, to get a kick, ...)

Obstinate truant

1. Vision : causes of absence

Personal causes :- A weak motivation - Fear of failure, feel ill at ease at school- Bad relationship between teacher and pupil- Negative group pressure/imago- Gap between school and social world of the pupil

1. Vision : causes of absence

Causes due to parents and family :- Poverty due to deprivation- Little support or stimulus by parents - Powerlessness of parents in education - Little or no contact between parents and school- Lack of respect for regulations- Specific culture of f.i. immigrants

1. Vision : causes of absence

School bound causes :- Lack of pupils’ guidance - Lack of training and support of teachers- The organisation of the school induces truancy - Inadequate school infrastructure- Inadequate control on absence

1. Vision : causes of absence

Causes bound to society and regulation in education:- Uncertain future- Deviant behaviour as a standard among youngsters- Compulsary education until 18 (in Belgium)- 2 important explanations are the metropolitan

problems and poverty by deprivation…

Vision

Do we consider each form of absence as a signal ?

How can we prevent absence?

Vision : absence = signal

Illegal absence f.i. frrequent illness Not only attention for the administrative and

legal aspect, but also for underlying problems

Signals are f.i. frequent latecommers, ill before or after a holiday, doubtful medical certificate, each time absent at certain moments, ....

Vision: prevention of absence- When pupils like to go to school, we have the best remedy against

truancy. In a school paying attention at and care for pupils, pupils feel a bond with the school. Truancy diminishes.

- The importance of a positive school climate : - Friendly and correct contact - Possibility for pupils and teachers to participate in the school

management by f.i. pupils’ council- The organisation of an adequate support in choice of studies and

pupils’ guidance- The organisation of activities during pauses- …

- The importance of communication

Vision : points of interest

- Truancy hides other problems and functions as a signal.

- A good method of registration is basic. - Immediate reaction is a must- Open communication in a climate of equality- Sanctions are adequate for luxury truancy and

occasional truancy; absence caused by reasons bound at the family, the pupil and the school need support and guidance

- A medical certificate often covers something else- Truants get delayed

Registration and analysis of presence and absence

How and how often per day are things registered?

Who registers and who brings facts together? Do you work with codes ? Who analyses/judges on absence, taking into

consideration underlying causes? How does analysis happen: per week or per

month? Which data are analyzed: only B-codes of ook

Z, L, ... ?

Registration and analysis

1. The teacher registers presence and absence.2. The special needs co-ordinator/ pupils’ counselor/

headmaster follows up the registers and contacts pupils who are often absent.

3. School/teacher addresses the parents. 4. After more problematic absence, the student guidance center

is contacted.

Registration and analysis

- Trends en tendencies can be derived from the data. F.i. a pupil who is always absent when a test must be taken

- Registration and collection of data is not merely administration. Persons doing these jobs should be able to contact people. They should also be able to see the signals. They should be a contact point and willing to co-operate.

- Registration and deregistration must be followed up with care.

Communication

How do you inform : The pupil His/her parentson :

- the importance of a regular school attendance and on being in time- when absence is illegal of not- what has to be done when absent- sanctions, support and guidance

Communication

How do you inform : New teachers Teachers The special needs team The pupils administration On :

- the school vision- agreements on the approach- division of tasks

Guidance of presence and absence

Often truants need help to learn them how to ask for help

The first rule is always: back to school as soon as possible in order to fight bad habits

Each contact with school must be encouraged and confirmed

Guidance of absence is not a matter of one short intervention. It asks for a long term engagement and betrokkenheid and alertness

Guidance of presence and absence

Look for the right proportion between mercy, tolerance, care (extra measures) and understandig at the one hand and limits and requirements at the other hand

Pay attention to school delay (notitions, ...) Look for an adequate approach: sometimes it

is an alternative choice of studies, sometimes time out is a solution

Occasional truancy requires a consequent observation of rules. Sanctions are adequate with support of the parents.

Guidance of presence and absence

- The school is obliged to start guidance for eacht problematic case of absence and must contact the pupils’ guidance centre after 10 half days of absence.

- Importance of consultation on absent pupils at school

Guidance of presence and absence

Examine the underlying causes of absence. If the cause can’t be treated by the school of by the student guidance centre, external services in welfare or health must be contacted

(doctor, specialist, therapist, other centres of student guidance, speech therapist, centre of confidence, special youth welfare work, centre of general welfare, advice centre for youngsters, ….)

Questions?