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Strategic attendance planning

The purpose of this stage is to seek sources of data to inform the direction of your investigation.

Collect and analyse data

Discover is the first stage of the double diamond design approach.
Gathering insights

Data collected along with consultation and the involvement of various stakeholders, will help build a more detailed picture of what is happening in your school.

School-level data including school surveys, classroom observations and other sources of evidence can help you drill down the critical issues so you can focus on efforts on where they will be most effective. Scout including the Attendance and Engagement app, Tell Them From Me and Wellbeing for Excellence are useful tools for this process.

Information gathered in this stage will be analysed to uncover the Problem Statement.

Use the Scout Attendance and Engagement app to investigate details and patterns for particular year groups or cohorts, in particularly, if there might be:

  • a particular year level, specific group or individual students where attendance is a concern
  • a relationship between non-attendance and:
    • literacy and numeracy
    • gender
    • student wellbeing
    • socio-economic backgrounds
    • English as an additional language or dialect
    • Aboriginality
    • disability and additional learning needs

Consider if the perspectives and experiences of all stakeholders have been captured.

  • Consult the school community (staff only) including students, parents and carers and school staff to capture satisfaction with attendance policies and procedures.

Watch

Elderslie Public School's experience engaging student voice with school planning. Read more about student voice and access resources for engaging student voice with school planning.

Elderslie Public School students and staff share their experiences of how student voice is shaping learning.

The purpose of this stage is to identify the underlying causes of non-attendance.

Identify the causes

Define is the second stage of the double diamond design approach.

Factors influencing student attendance are complex, and can vary across school communities and locations.

Identifying and understanding the underlying and often interrelated factors assists schools to plan effective strategies to engage students and improve student attendance.

These factors are broadly categorised as:

Schools should consider any indicators or supporting evidence when investigating the underlying factors relevant to their local context.

The following questions may help you explore the origin and context of the underlying causes influencing attendance:

Student factors are strongly linked to the individual’s wellbeing needs, their learning and living environments and connections with others. Students who are engaged in school are more likely to have better attendance and other improved student outcomes.

  • Are there unmet physical and mental health needs? (for example, nutrition, access to washing facilities, anxiety)
  • Does the student feel safe?
    • Do they feel connected to their peer group, class and school?
  • Are lifestyle or risk behaviours impacting student health, safety and/or wellbeing? (for example, game addiction)
  • Are there opportunities to strengthen students’ social competence and confidence, to support their engagement and participation?
  • Are there processes to help staff understand student behaviour and wellbeing?

You might also consider if any of the following examples are relevant to your student cohort or school context.

Parent and family engagement including support for learning, actively monitoring attendance and participation, and valuing education can support and improve attendance.

  • What past experiences might be influencing parent/carer feelings about or engagement with school? (for example, own schooling experiences; previous conflict,
  • Are there opportunities for parents/carers to be meaningfully involved and participate with:
    • their child’s learning?
    • the school? 
  • How might the school encourage and engage parents, carers and family in positively influencing children’s attendance, learning and schooling?

You might consider if any of the following examples are relevant to your student cohort or school context.

A positive school climate and culture where students feel safe, valued and respected and supported by strong, positive relationships, can foster connectedness, a sense of belonging and positively influence student attendance.

  • Are there systems in place to identify the educational needs of students and plan personalised learning and support?
  • How are high expectations encouraged and supported?
  • Are there strategies that support effective feedback, with students and staff?
  • Are professional learning programs and support available for staff to understand their role and responsibilities in relation to attendance?

You might consider if any of the following examples are relevant to your school context.

Understanding the diversity of our school communities, fostering partnerships and providing a welcoming and inclusive environment helps meet the educational and wellbeing needs of students and their families.

  • Are there cultural or employment obligations that might influence student attendance?
  • Are there other community activities or involvement contributing to attendance behaviours?
  • What is the impact of the school's geographic location?
  • How might access to (or lack of) community facilities such as transport support attendance?

You might consider if any of the following examples are relevant to your school context.

The purpose of this stage work is to with the school community to select the issues that you wish to address.

Prioritise areas of focus for planning

Decide is the third stage of the double diamond design approach.

Unpacking the main themes and issues emerging from the research and evidence collected, will help define the priorities for school attendance planning.

A problem statement helps to define and understand the problem by identifying:

  • who the problem impacts
  • what the impacts are
  • where the problem occurs
  • why it needs to be fixed

as well as clarifying what the expected outcome are.

Consider how you might:

  • include your system-negotiated targets and school-determined targets as attendance improvement measures in your Strategic Improvement Plan.
  • organise, display and seek feedback on the evidence and underlying causes of non-attendance

Check the Digital Tool Selector for examples of tools and activities

  • engage other stakeholder groups to maximise the impact of initiatives

Consider how to collaborate with your key stakeholder groups such as Parent & Citizens, School Council, local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and other community organisations.

  • score the relative impact and effort to inform decision making

Read about process, outcomes and economic evaluations.

  • identify and mitigate risks as part of school planning

Integrate risk management into planning.

 

 

Strategically plan for Excellence in attendance for every student.

Read about balancing whole of school, targeted and intensive attendance strategies.

Watch

The video below provides a brief introduction to evaluative thinking. You can read more at the Evaluation resources hub

An introduction to evaluative thinking.

Video transcript

The purpose of this stage is to identify solutions to address the chosen challenges.

Identify and explore solutions

Develop is the fourth stage of the double diamond design approach.

Generate as many ideas as possible to consider in response to the defined problem.

Each school community will have its own unique set of challenges and opportunities.

Local expertise should be leveraged to help inform how best to address them. The best outcomes are achieved when they are informed and guided by the local knowledge and experience of principals.

Your school should look to adopt approaches proven to make a positive change, by incorporating evidence-based practices to help improve student outcomes. This may include building on existing practices and school planning.


  • what success will look like:
    • is the relative cost of resources versus the impact of the proposed approach a consideration?
    • what improvement measures are expected and in what timeframe?
    • what evidence will be collected?
  • how the school community can be engaged to:
    • embed cultural perspectives
    • generate innovative proposals to address the underlying needs
    • develop the most promising ideas so that they can be tested.
  • how the school attendance plan will be communicated:
    • so that all partners are aware of their responsibilities
    • the proposed actions are endorsed and supported.

 

Read about strategies used by schools to consult with the community.

Learn about the research base for re-engaging students with learning.

Watch the Indigenous Literacy Day panel discussion about cultural connection and school engagement.

Explore the evidence-based mental health and wellbeing programs for students.

Consider the range of strategies and interventions to support attendance.

Watch

Buninyong Public School's initiatives to support student wellbeing and improve attendance.

Explore the Every student is known toolkit for other school stories, resources and information.

Buninyong Public School Walking School Bus

The purpose of this stage is to ensure that your planned improvements have the desired impact and to gather the information you need to make the required changes.

Select, create, implement and monitor attendance strategies

Deliver is the final stage of the double diamond design approach.

This stage is about finding the idea that best meets the needs of your school community and ensuring it meets your agreed criteria for success.

Turning this idea into reality requires thinking about how things will work, testing prototypes and gaining feedback from the people it will impact most.

Developing an ongoing evaluation and assessment of attendance strategies is important. Learning what works and what needs to be tweaked enables a more comprehensive plan to be implemented that:

  • supports student outcomes
  • monitors attendance and actions early interventions
  • monitors impact and adjusts planning and strategies, as required
  • demonstrates evidence-based change to whole-school practices
  • celebrates regular and improved attendance.

  • Will staff need access to professional learning or other support to deliver the proposed initiative or strategies?
  • What information could be collected to show evidence of improved attendance and engagement?
  • Are resources distributed to support the needs of students who are at risk of non-attendance?
  • What changes need to be made? How might these changes be implemented?

Explore Excellence in attendance for every student for advice about improvement measures, strategies and use of funding to improve attendance.

Learn how to evaluate student engagement and wellbeing measures, using Scout data.

Measure and track improvements using the Scout reports. This might include improvements in attendance, or other areas as identified by the school such as literacy, numeracy, engagement or wellbeing.

Read about effective improvement measures and strategies to support school planning.

Explore the resources for schools for examples of strategies, interventions and planning templates.

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