Supporting attendance through evidence informed practice in Wales
Please note that this research project is affiliated with the Open University and is not associated with the Welsh Government.
Turning learner voice into action on one of education’s biggest challenges
Attendance remains a pressing issue for schools across Wales, but behind the numbers are learners’ lived experiences of belonging, engagement, and school life. This new School Attendance Project places those voices at the centre, drawing on a children’s rights-based approach to better understand what supports learners to attend, participate, and thrive.
Developed as a Wales-wide, non-commercial education initiative, the project offers schools practical, ready-to-use tools to support meaningful enquiry into attendance and engagement.
What schools get
This is not an additional burden, it’s a set of ready-to-use, classroom-friendly resources designed to slot straight into existing practice. Schools will have access to:
A fully resourced lesson plan focused on attendance, belonging, and learner voice.
Flexible teaching materials suitable for a range of age groups and settings.
A structured learner survey tool designed to capture authentic pupil perspectives.
Guidance to support pastoral conversations and wellbeing work.
A simple framework to support reflection and next-step action planning.
What’s in it for schools
Participation offers immediate and longer-term value:
Hear directly from learners about what shapes attendance and engagement.
Strengthen your learner voice and rights-based practice.
Generate insight to inform pastoral, wellbeing and attendance strategies.
Access high-quality resources with minimal preparation required.
Contribute to a Wales-wide evidence picture that can inform system learning and improvement.
Phase 2: creative participation for younger learners
Phase 2 will extend the project through creative workshops with younger learners aged 3 to 7 years, enabling pupils to express their experiences of attendance through visual, storytelling and arts-based approaches, ensuring even the youngest voices are heard.
Get involved
This is an open invitation to all schools across Wales to take part. For more information, you can contact sarah.stewart@open.ac.uk or access project details, resources and survey via the 'Collaborative Research Network' website.