The Return to Learn project is a two-year initiative funded by Portal Trust, aimed at supporting children in years 7, 8, and 9 at Regent High School and Acland Burghley School who are classed as ‘persistently absent’ by government guidelines (attending school at below 90%).

The project consists of two main components:

  1. Parenting Groups: Six-week parenting groups for up to eight parents, utilising the successful Systemic Integrative Treatment (SIT) model. These groups aim to help parents understand their children’s challenges, provide practical strategies to encourage regular school attendance, and strengthen the positive connection with staff at school.
  2. Tailored Staff Training: Customised training sessions for teachers to equip them with the skills and knowledge to support students struggling with persistent absenteeism. The trainings are tailored to the specific needs of the school, and will include information on effective engagement strategies, understanding the complexities of persistent absenteeism, and fostering positive communication between the staff and family systems.

Aims of the Project

  • Increase Attendance: The primary goal is to improve school attendance for children whose attendance rates fall between 70-90%.
  • Strengthen Communication: A further goal of the project is to improve the connection and teamwork between home and school, making it easier for parents, teachers, and support staff to work together to increase attendance.

By promoting collaboration and communication between home and school, and providing practical, effective tools to both parents and teachers, the project aims to develop a model that can be used in other schools after the two-year period. Given the national issue of persistent absenteeism, a systemic approach is seen as one of the most effective ways to tackle this issue, and to support children and young people to get the most out of their education.

If you are a parent of a child in years 7, 8, or 9 at Regent High School or Acland Burghley School, there are several ways to register your interest in the project. You can:

  • Talk to the attendance officer at the school and request to be put forward for the group.
  • Email us at familyservice@brandoncentre.org.uk
  • Call Brandon Centre reception on 020 7267 4792, and we will put you in touch with the project coordinator.