Event Details
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, 24 September
⏰ Time: 17:30 BST
💻 Format: Online
Join Highgrove Online School for an important webinar exploring how families, schools and education providers can support pupils experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA), also known as Emotional Barriers to School Attendance.
EBSA describes the overwhelming emotional distress that can make attending school difficult or impossible. It is not truancy, laziness or defiance. Anxiety, sensory sensitivities, bullying, academic pressure, social difficulties and unmet special educational needs can all contribute, often in combination.
The webinar will explore:
What EBSA is and how it differs from ordinary reluctance to attend school
The early signs and common drivers of EBSA
Why listening to the pupil and understanding the underlying barriers is essential
Practical ways families and schools can provide empathetic, flexible support
What to consider when the barriers are rooted in the school environment itself
How alternative approaches, including online education, may help pupils continue learning in a supportive setting
Highgrove Education regularly supports pupils with EBSA who need a different route to a high-quality education. Our flexible online programmes are designed around the individual pupil, with access to teacher support, extracurricular opportunities, social events and a broad academic curriculum.
This webinar is open to all and will be particularly relevant to parents, carers, teachers, pastoral staff, SEND professionals and anyone supporting a child experiencing school attendance difficulties.
📅 Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2026
🕒 Time: 17:30 BST
👉 Spaces are limited, so register now to secure your place!
