Guidance for reintegration of pupils after a leave of absence
Additional advice for pupils on a part-time timetable
Gradual increase in hours
Gradually increase the pupil's school hours to help them adjust to a full-time schedule. This can be done by adding an hour or two each week until they are attending full-time. This could be building from the end of the school day (e.g. 2:30 - 3:15) etc.
Monitor fatigue levels
Keep an eye on the pupil's energy and fatigue levels. If they seem overwhelmed, consider temporarily reducing their hours and then gradually increasing them again. Hours should not be increased until all parties (including the child) are confident that an increase in hours is manageable. This will reduce likelihood of confusion and yo-yo approach to hours spent in school.
Consistent routine
Establish a consistent daily routine to help the pupil, staff and family adapt to the increased hours. This includes regular start and end times, as well as scheduled breaks.
Flexible learning options
Provide flexible learning options, such as online resources or homework assignments, to ensure the pupil can continue their education even if they are not in school full-time. Consider a 'Key Skills Pack' for times when additional home learning can't or has not been provided. Check that the appropriate resources are available in the home to facilitate this (e.g. laptop, internet connection). Ensure clear and reasonable expectations of what would be 'acceptable learning' at home given their interests and development of core skills. Also, if a pupil has EAL, homework should be differentiated in order to make it achievable. Attempting to do extremely challenging homework often causes anxiety over the additional time required to complete it and can also result in unnecessary sanctions if the work is not done. Parents with EAL are not often able to support.
