Bristol’s Wallscourt Farm Academy has been named as one of the nation’s first 21 specialist integrated Attendance and Behaviour Hubs (A&B) by the Department for Education.
The A&B hubs will support senior education leaders across the country to develop safe, supportive school cultures with high expectations for attendance and behaviour.
The programme will focus on strong leadership, robust processes for following up on absence and poor behaviour, and effective use of data to identify and address areas of concern.
As part of the initiative, £1.5million of DfE funding is being made available this financial year to mobilise the programme, with future funding dependent on the outcomes of the government’s spending review.
Schools leading the hubs will deliver a schedule of termly regional events, including best practice sharing and open days, collectively reaching up to 4,500 schools nationwide.
In addition, each hub will provide intensive, one-to-one support to around 500 other schools every year, helping them to develop tailored action plans.
The DfE’s section criteria for hosts focused on schools and trusts with demonstrably strong attendance and behaviour practice and culture, particularly those operating in challenging contexts.
Charlotte Black, Principal at Wallscourt Farm Academy – part of the Cabot Learning Federation – said: “We are extremely proud that Wallscourt Farm Academy has been recognised as a national hub for attendance and behaviour.
“At the CLF, we believe that creating safe, inclusive and aspirational environments is the foundation for learning.
“Through this programme, we look forward to working with schools across the country to share best practice, tackle barriers to attendance, and ensure every child can thrive.”
