School Non-Attendance & EBSA
Structured, relationship-led support for pupils who are unable to attend school — building confidence progressively, with reintegration as the goal.
Get in Touch
Supporting Pupils with School Non-Attendance
Pupils experiencing school non-attendance or Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) are not choosing to disengage. For many, anxiety, SEMH difficulties, or a history of difficult school experiences have made attendance feel impossible. The longer they are out, the harder the return becomes.
Schools refer these pupils to us when they need support that meets the student where they are. We work alongside SENCOs, inclusion leads, and pastoral teams to build a programme around the individual pupil, with reintegration planned from the outset.
What Schools Can Expect
Someone from our local team stays close to this programme — knowing the student’s history, understanding the sensitivity of their situation, and keeping you informed without you having to ask. In practice, that means:
A tutor report submitted after every session
A communication rhythm agreed with the school at the outset
Immediate contact when a student doesn’t engage
Proactive updates when engagement shifts
For pupils with complex SEMH needs, any unexplained absence is treated as a potential safeguarding signal — acted on immediately.
How We Support Pupils Back Into Education
Our model for school non-attendance is built around one principle: start where the student is, and move at their pace. For many pupils, that means beginning with home-based tuition — building a trusted relationship with a tutor before any expectation of returning to a school environment. As confidence and engagement grow, sessions can move progressively toward the school setting, supporting a gradual, planned reintegration.
Meet with the school
Understand the student’s history, barriers, and what reintegration might realistically look like.
Develop a whole-student profile
Covering not just academic gaps but the emotional and social factors affecting attendance.
Make proactive family contact
When appropriate, we contact the family before the first session to introduce ourselves and build trust on all sides.
Match the right tutor
Matched to a tutor with experience of working with young people experiencing EBSA or SEMH difficulties.
Develop an Individual Learning Plan
An ILP that sets out both academic objectives and engagement milestones.
Agree reporting with the school
Format and cadence agreed, including how we communicate when a student doesn’t engage.
Sessions are delivered at home, in school, or via LessonSpace, our online tutoring platform of choice — wherever the student is most likely to engage.
Our Process
A clear, consistent path from first conversation to ongoing support — so you always know what happens next and who’s accountable at every stage.
Understand
We take time to understand the student — their educational needs, circumstances, and what the school or council needs from the programme.
Plan
We develop an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), aligned to EHCP targets where applicable, and agree reporting format and cadence with you from the outset.
Match
We match the student to the right tutor based on subject knowledge, experience, and the right fit for their specific needs.
Support
We stay involved throughout, adapting the programme as needs change and keeping your team informed at every stage.
Tutor Doctor have been fantastic with supporting a student who was unfortunately unable to attend school.
Working Together to Support Your Students
Connect with our team to get started, or to explore how our tuition programmes are designed to fit around your needs and your students.
Get In Touch