More details have been revealed for how the government’s behaviour and attendance hubs will work, with schools being offered either “regional” or “enhanced” support pathways.
The Department for Education is launching 90 behaviour and attendance hubs across England, with 57 already open. Former government behaviour tsar Tom Bennett and former headteacher Jayne Lowe are ambassadors of the scheme.
The scheme allows schools with strong practice to support others in the area through sharing effective practice.
While 5,000 schools will receive regional support, 500 settings with “significant behaviour and attendance challenges” will receive “intensive, targeted help”.
New guidance published today says regional support will be available for “the majority of schools that want light-touch support”.
Partner schools will have access to a “structured attendance and behaviour CPD offer” as part of this pathway, with opportunities to visit lead schools once a term during open day events.
Partner schools will also have opportunities to discuss and share effective practice with other schools in their hub, guidance states.
Leadership support
For schools with enhanced support, eligible partner schools will receive 10 days of leadership support over three terms from their allocated lead school.
Support will involve the partner school completing an attendance and behaviour self-assessment, running surveys of pupils and staff to establish a “baseline of behaviour in school”.
Lead and partner schools will also carry out a full-day exercise into the partner school’s issues on attendance and behaviour.
This support will result in developing and implementing an improvement plan, with training and guidance from the lead school.
The 500 schools eligible for targeted support have not yet been selected.
Under the scheme, the behaviour and attendance hubs are being merged, with the scheme receiving £1.5 million investment – significantly lower than the two schemes it replaces.
The DfE is currently taking expression of interest applications for schools wanting to join as partners in hubs.
You can find out the lists of announced hubs here and here.
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