Behaviour and Attendance
Deeply embedded in our philosophy is that all our young people have talents and can succeed. Our dedicated skilled staff are able to offer them a nurturing, safe environment where there are opportunities for their development both academically and personally.
We pride ourselves on being open and approachable and we build good relationships with all our pupils, their parents and their referring schools. Everything is underpinned by our vision statement, and a commitment to help every young person to achieve their potential.
Promoting Positive Behaviour
Our behaviour policy is a statement of good practice that covers all aspects of life at Education Links that contribute to the development and maintenance of good behaviour and a positive ethos. All members of Education Links are expected to help maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning, with courtesy and mutual respect as basic requirements. The procedures and principles on which the policy is based will be carried out by all staff consistently, to promote actions and behaviours that will enable our young people to become ‘confident individuals who can independently achieve success in their communities’.
Rewards and Class Dojo
Rewards for acts of positive behaviour, and improvements in behaviour generally, will be used to encourage students to make the best choices. To track these changes we use the Class Dojo online platform. Students are given positive or negative points based on their behaviour in lessons, around the school and during offsite activities. This is tracked weekly and certificates are presented to those achieving 100 points, 200 points, 300 and so on. At 200, 400 and 600 points they also receive a £10 voucher. These presentations are made in a weekly assembly.
The full range of rewards will include:
- Weekly Class Dojo Certificates and Prizes: as stated above
- Instant wins: staff will reward individual small incidences of progress with a relevant small reward, e.g. for winning a literacy quiz as a lesson starter
- Positive group experience: occasional rewards for group effort which promotes group cohesion, e.g. a lunchtime treat, or group activity
- End of term trip: an outing for a teaching group to mark the overall achievements of the group through a term, which also promotes social skills
- Jack Petchey Award Scheme: a scheme to reward personal achievement in young people, sponsored by the Jack Petchey Foundation
- Presentation Day: our annual awards ceremony to mark the end of Year 11 for those leaving school. Prizes and certificates are given across the age range for achievement in academic subjects, personal effort and improvement, attendance and punctuality, and any other prize or trophy. Record of Achievement folders are presented to leavers.
Screening Procedure
In order to maintain a calm, safe and supportive learning environment, Education Links exercises the right to screen students on arrival for prohibited items.
For further details, please refer to:
Attendance & Punctuality
At the heart of our school’s ethos is the unwavering belief that regular attendance and punctuality are essential to safeguarding, academic achievement, personal development, and long-term life outcomes. In accordance with the Department for Education’s (DfE) guidance, "Working Together to Improve School Attendance" (2022), we are committed to a proactive, supportive, and partnership-driven approach to improving attendance.
Aspirational Targets
We set aspirational attendance targets of at least 90% attendance and 100% punctuality for all students. These targets are in place to reflect our commitment to high expectations while also acknowledging the complex needs of some of our students. We believe that these goals are both ambitious and attainable when supported by consistent intervention and collaboration.
For students referred with significantly low attendance, often due to medical, social, or emotional needs, we establish individualised attendance improvement plans. These plans aim for steady, sustained progress toward the school’s attendance and punctuality benchmarks. The use of early help assessments and multi-agency support is integral to this process, as encouraged by the DfE’s tiered model of intervention.
Legal Responsibilities and Parental Partnership
Under the Education Act 1996, parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure that their child attends school regularly and on time. This policy is designed to support families in fulfilling their statutory obligations by:
- Offering transparent attendance procedures;
- Providing early intervention where patterns of absence emerge;
- Working collaboratively to remove barriers to regular attendance;
- Discouraging term-time holidays, which are only authorised in exceptional circumstances, in line with DfE regulations.
We recognise that strong relationships with families are fundamental to promoting attendance. Through frequent communication, attendance reviews, and personalised support, we aim to build trust and foster a shared commitment to every child’s success.
The Importance of Full Attendance
Attending school regularly allows students to:
- Access the full breadth of the curriculum;
- Build and maintain positive relationships with peers and staff;
- Engage in enriching learning experiences;
- Gain the qualifications and skills necessary to progress into further education, training, or employment.
Persistent absence, defined by the DfE as attendance below 90%, poses a significant risk to academic achievement and long-term outcomes. As such, our attendance strategy prioritises early identification and support, with escalation procedures used when improvements are not evident despite intervention.
Reintegration and Transition
For students who are transitioning back into mainstream education, positive attendance routines are critical for successful reintegration. We work closely with referring schools, parents/carers, and local authority partners to ensure these routines are established early and embedded into the child’s daily life.
Our approach aligns with best practice in inclusive education and reintegration, ensuring that attendance support is delivered sensitively, proportionately, and with due regard for individual circumstances.
Multi-Agency Collaboration
In line with DfE expectations for whole-school attendance culture, we collaborate with:
- Parents and carers as primary partners in education;
- Referring schools, ensuring continuity of support;
- The local authority, particularly Education Welfare Officers;
- Health and social care professionals, where additional needs are identified;
- Other external agencies, such as CAMHS and Early Help teams.
This collaborative, multi-agency approach ensures that we can respond effectively to the root causes of non-attendance, safeguard vulnerable children, and promote the best possible outcomes for every learner.
For more information please contact:
michelle.matthias@education-links.org
