Back Through The Door; Improving School Attendance

Back Through the Door is a practical, pupil-centred attendance support bundle designed to help secondary schools understand the barriers behind absence and plan a manageable route back into school.

The bundle includes three connected resources:

1. Attendance Barrier Map and Shared Action Plan – helps pupils identify what makes attendance harder, explore what may help and agree clear actions for the pupil, family and school.

2. Supported Return Plan: Combatting School Refusal – creates a personalised, gradual return plan covering arrival, trusted adults, difficult moments, classroom support and review arrangements.

3. Staff Question Bank, Guide and Toolkit – provides structured prompts, suggested scripts, safeguarding guidance and practical response strategies to help staff lead sensitive, purposeful attendance conversations.

Together, the three parts take staff from listening and understanding to coordinated action, supported return and ongoing review.