Find a tool to help you identify vulnerable groups, more information on the groups you may identify and a checklist to help you address any issues they may face.
About vulnerable groups
It is important to make no assumptions about who your vulnerable groups may be. However, the vulnerable groups within your school could include:
- Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) learners
- learners with special educational needs (SEN) – whether yours is a mainstream school or a special school
- learners who are being bullied or fear being bullied
- learners from more economically deprived communities.
By analysing your school’s own data, you will be able to determine the existence and characteristics of any vulnerable groups. Your data analysis may also identify further groups of learners who do not fit within these categories, but whose erratic or low attendance could limit their achievement and put their safety at risk.
You should also consider issues such as gender, persistent absence, exclusions and mid-term admissions – all of which can impact on attendance and attainment.
This Tool to identify vulnerable groups (XLS-446 KB) Attachments will help you identify any groups of learners in your school that have disproportionate levels of absence.
Ofsted framework
The Ofsted framework for inspection focuses on attendance and, in particular, a school's ability to identify and address issues that affect vulnerable groups. It is therefore important that schools have a clear profile of attendance and have analysed their data to identify vulnerable groups of pupils with persistent absence.
Taking action
Once you fully understand the nature of the issues that affect your groups of learners, you will be better equipped to take whole-school or focused actions.
