Can improving the academic 'buoyancy' of secondary school students lead to improved school attendance?

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This study will yield greater understanding of the relatively new educational psychology construct of academic buoyancy, which defines students' ability to cope with everyday setbacks at school.The project will use the National Pupil Database to examine attendance patterns in England and aims to isolate school-related and societal determinants of students' attendance. In the analysis, emphasis will be placed on disadvantaged pupils, such as those eligible for free school meals. This will also provide a sampling frame. In parallel, the project will involve a systematic review of evidence on academic 'buoyancy' and similar constructs, such as 'resilience', to identify the most promising format for an intervention aimed at increasing buoyancy. The ensuing intervention will then be evaluated in practice as part of a pilot randomised control trial with in-depth process evaluation to establish whether it leads to improved attendance rates.The overarching aim is to determine whether a relationship exists between student academic buoyancy and school attendance. The project may also impact positively on other aspects of students' lives, such as their mental health, wellbeing and attainment potential.