The Ideal School: Exploring the perceptions of autistic students experiencing Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)

Persistent absence from school is associated with poor academic outcomes, increased risk of mental health difficulties and limited employment opportunities in adult life (Department for Education, [DfE] 2020; West Sussex County Council, [WSCC] 2018). Statistics indicate that school absence is increasing, and young people with Special Educational Needs, including autistic students, are at increased risk of experiencing attendance difficulties (DfE, 2019). Currently there is a lack of research eliciting the views of autistic students who face barriers to attendance. This research therefore aims to explore the perceptions of 10 autistic students experiencing Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) and to identify factors that might support their attendance. Participants engaged in the Drawing the Ideal School activity (Williams & Hanke, 2007), underpinned by Personal Construct Psychology (Kelly, 1955) and a semi-structured interview in which they described an ideal and non-ideal school and completed a solution-focused scaling activity. Reflexive Thematic Analysis indicated that participants perceived adults to control all decisions at school and expressed a desire for increased choice and autonomy. Additional factors identified in an ideal school that might support attendance were positive relationships with staff and students, increased flexibility within the school day, personalised learning tailored to their interests and a calm, comfortable and well-resourced environment that was adjusted to meet their sensory needs. Despite describing challenging school experiences, all participants were motivated to attend a school that met their needs, however this was deemed unrealistic by participants who perceived themselves as having little impact on the running of schools. The research provides a unique insight into how school is perceived by autistic students experiencing EBSNA and provides recommendations for realistic and reasonable adjustments that might promote their attendance.