Vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils
In the context of attendance, “vulnerable” or “disadvantaged” pupils refers to children who face additional barriers that make it harder for them to attend school regularly, engage in learning, or benefit from education in the same way as their peers. It is important to recognise that this is not one single group, but a broad range of children with different and often overlapping needs.
These include children who:
- have a social worker and/or youth offending worker - CIN (Child in Need), Child Protection (CP) and CiC (Children in Care), this includes children supported by Futures4Me and Children with Disabilities (CWD)
- have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) – EHCPs (Education, Health Care Plans)
- previously looked after - (PLAC)
- are eligible for Free School Meals – (FSMs)
- belong to communities such as, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children – (GRT) families
- have English as an Additional Language – (EAL pupils)
- are experiencing medical or mental health difficulties – e.g. Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
- attend Alternative Provision or are at risk of exclusion – (AP)
- are young carers or facing wider family social challenges (YC)
These characteristics are often interrelated, and pupils experiencing multiple vulnerabilities are at greatest risk of persistent and severe absence.