Supporting positive transitions and attendance in education, in early adolescence

Abstract

Background: Children who ‘drop out’ of school, or become ‘missing in education’ can experience long-term negative consequences, including mental health difficulties, unemployment, and relationship difficulties. The transition from one school to another in early adolescence has been highlighted as a critical point in this trajectory, particularly for pupils considered to be ‘at-risk’ academically, socially or emotionally. This thesis seeks to understand, and contribute to the knowledge base of effective support mechanisms for this group of young people, at this time. Methods/ participants: Paper 1 is a systematic literature review (SLR), exploring approaches to support ‘at-risk’ pupils during transition to high school. The review was structured using the PRISMA framework and identified 10 international studies. Paper 2 is an exploratory case-study of one high school in an area of high social deprivation. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were employed to gain an in-depth understanding of the high school’s approach to supporting attendance difficulties. Three pupils, four parents and eight members of staff participated in the research. Analysis/ findings: Thematic synthesis was used to examine findings in the SLR and content analysis was used for the empirical research. Key themes highlighted throughout were the importance of systemic, relational and individualised approaches, trusting relationships, collaborative working and adequate resources. Conclusion/ implications: This research highlighted the positive impact of relational approaches, that address both academic, social and emotional difficulties. Paper 3 discusses the importance of dissemination to a range of stakeholders including celebrating success at the school level and advocating for wider change. Implications for practice and further research, such as developing a best practice transition framework for schools is also considered.

Date of Award	20 Nov 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Caroline Bond (Supervisor) & Leanne Jackson Taft (Supervisor)