Learn how Ricards Lodge High School successfully designed and implemented a holistic attendance strategy, creating impactful systems to improve attendance and support student well-being across the whole school.

The challenge of improving attendance rates is a complex one, where strategy and operational practices intersect in critical ways. For schools, navigating attendance issues is not merely about enforcing policies—it requires understanding the underlying barriers students face and establishing supportive systems that engage families, mentors, and external agencies.

Ricards Lodge High School has pioneered a robust, holistic approach to improving attendance, with a commitment to addressing case drift, understanding root causes, and creating meaningful connections for students. By moving away from traditional, punitive approaches, they’ve crafted a support system that centers around student well-being, enabling attendance rates to rise from 90.65% in 2021-2022 to 94.4% in 2024-2025.

Join us to watch this masterclass in which you’ll learn:

How to Identify Key Attendance Issues: Ricards Lodge shares their methodology for uncovering the “why” behind attendance gaps.

Strategies for Whole-School Impact: Discover the processes for engaging staff and SLT in collaborative attendance solutions, including the school’s unique use of Solution Circles.

Embedding Trauma-Informed and Attachment-Aware Practices: Learn how Ricards Lodge has reduced reliance on sanctions by fostering an environment that prioritizes emotional coaching and self-regulation.

Effective Collaboration with External Agencies: Explore how the school builds partnerships to address student vulnerabilities, navigating local authority thresholds and resources effectively.

Ricards Lodge has seen profound changes in attendance and student engagement:

Increased Attendance Rates: From 90.65% in 2021 to a current rate of 94.4%.

Enhanced Staff Morale and Student Support: Staff feel equipped to engage with students, resulting in fewer behavioral incidents and stronger classroom relationships.

Empowered Students and Families: Students now articulate their attendance goals and personal growth journeys with clarity, and families report a greater sense of inclusion in the school’s vision and support framework.

Kate Page is the Headteacher at Ricards Lodge

Harriet Dukes is the Deputy Headteacher at Ricards Lodge

School leaders responsible for attendance strategy and pastoral care

Senior Leaders managing behavior and wellbeing policies

Attendance officers and Heads of Year looking to innovate attendance practices in their schools

This session is available to all live for free.

The recording and resources will only be available on demand to paying members of the

Attendance: Where Operations Meet Strategy