EBSA Horizons Partnership

Comprehensive Online Training for All Stockton Schools

Join every Stockton school in this fully-funded online professional development programme for supporting pupils experiencing emotional barriers to attendance (EBSA, EBSNA, school anxiety).

Evidence-based whole-school and specialist training/resources with access for 2 years.

Designed to strengthen your existing systems and build staff confidence in early identification and intervention for some of our most vulnerable pupils.

Not the Headteacher / part of SLT? If you would like to just register yourself to access the training, please click here

Flexible Training Approach

Designed for the realities of busy schools: tiered approach from foundational whole-school training to advanced resources for those who need it most, with two years' continued access to embed best practices over time. Supportive staff development that fits with your school's priorities.

LEVEL 1 TRAINING - UNIVERSAL

Whole School Training

(45-60 minutes)

Core training for every team member - from reception staff to Senior Leadership Team. Creates shared language and immediate response capability.

  • Fits within single INSET or twilight session

  • Recognising EBSA and early response

  • Understanding anxiety and school avoidance

  • Individual completion certificates

LEVEL 2 TRAINING - TARGETED

Pastoral & SEND Teams

(3 hours)

Enhanced training for SENCOs, pastoral leaders, and attendance staff. Comprehensive assessment and intervention approaches, including insights from parent and pupil interviews sharing what has made the difference in their lives.

  • EBSA Risk and Resilience Profiles at child, home and school levels

  • Assessment frameworks and planning

  • Working with external agencies

  • Supporting families through challenging circumstances

LEVEL 3 TRAINING - LEADERSHIP

School EBSA Lead

(6+ hours)

Leadership development for designated School EBSA Leads. Whole-school audit, action planning and sustainable culture change capabilities.

  • Whole-school audit and planning

  • Implementation guidance and support

  • Leading staff development

  • School accreditation pathway

"Undertaking EBSA training across our whole school has had a transformative impact on our approach to supporting emotionally based school avoidance. With all of our staff trained at Level 1, and key staff and SLT completing Level 3, we now have a much deeper, shared understanding of EBSA throughout our school community."

"During our recent OFSTED inspection, we highlighted the EBSA Horizons programme, with inspectors showing interest and engaging in discussions around the training and its clear impact."

SENCO, Primary School, 2025

Supporting Your Whole School Community

Evidence-informed professional development that enhances your team's capacity in supporting pupils experiencing attendance difficulties, while building robust evidence of inclusive practice and impact.

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Inspection Readiness and Evidence Base

Following your whole-school training, receive a comprehensive letter detailing how this aligns with Ofsted's Education Inspection Framework requirements. Clear evidence of systematic staff development, inclusive practices and proactive support for vulnerable pupils.

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Strategic Oversight and Impact Monitoring

Senior leaders can monitor professional development impact through your real-time dashboard. Providing clear evidence of professional development effectiveness and provision for some of our most vulnerable CYP.

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Early Identification and Graduated Response

Help staff recognise early signs before attendance becomes persistent absence. Evidence-based approaches with the child's voice at the heart of assessment and intervention, addressing underlying emotional barriers to support pupils in feeling safe and engaged in learning.

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Stronger Parent & Family Partnerships

Staff are equipped with compassionate approaches to sensitive attendance discussions. Shared understanding strengthens home-school partnerships and enables co-production of support for pupils' wellbeing and engagement.

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Staff Confidence

Practical tools and shared language reduce staff stress when supporting anxious pupils. Clear guidance on appropriate responses prevents escalation and builds professional confidence in challenging situations.

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Flexible Professional Development

Self-paced training respects staff capacity while building essential capabilities. Integrates naturally with your existing SEND and wellbeing approaches whilst supporting existing workload management.

School Accreditation Pathway

Acknowledging your school's combined efforts in supporting pupils experiencing attendance difficulties and building inclusive, compassionate practice

EBSA AWARE

School Accreditation

Whole-School Foundation

75% of staff complete Level 1 Training, demonstrating whole-school understanding and capacity to support pupils experiencing attendance difficulties.

  • Whole team understanding of EBSA

  • Consistent, compassionate approach

  • Early recognition and support

  • 'EBSA Aware' Accreditation certificate and digital badge for your school

EBSA FRIENDLY

School Accreditation

Enhanced Practice

EBSA Aware status plus School Lead completes Level 3 Training, providing advanced skills for supporting complex situations.

  • Advanced practitioner expertise in school

  • Comprehensive assessment and planning

  • Evidence-informed intervention approaches

  • 'EBSA Friendly' Accreditation certificate and digital badge for your school

EBSA CHAMPIONS

School Accreditation

Leading Practice

EBSA Friendly status plus completion of whole-school audit and action planning, demonstrating embedded, sustainable practice across your school.

  • Whole-school audit and development planning

  • Embedded, sustainable culture of support

  • Continuous improvement framework

  • 'EBSA Champion' Accreditation certificate and digital badge for your school

Your Implementation Journey

Simple, manageable steps designed around how schools actually work. No additional pressure - just support that builds naturally into your existing priorities.

Register & Designate Your School Lead

Register your school and choose a School EBSA Lead - typically a member of SLT, SENCO, or Mental Health Lead. They complete the foundation training first and gain access to the real-time progress and KPI monitoring dashboard.

Launch Staff Training

All staff receive individual access for self-paced Level 1 (45-60 minutes) training. Choose what works for you: dedicate one hour during INSET or a twilight session, or let staff complete flexibly over the term. All staff receive individual access - teaching staff, support professionals, and governance teams.

Monitor Progress (Without the Pressure)

Your School Lead and SLT monitor completion rates through real-time dashboard showing staff progress, knowledge gains, confidence levels and skills development through key performance indicators. Encourage participation at a pace that respects everyone's workload. Achieve whole-school engagement with 75% staff completion for EBSA Aware recognition.

Embed & Develop

School Lead progresses through Level 3 Training for advanced assessment and intervention skills. Integrate approaches into your existing policies and procedures, and complete school audit to embed best practices. Two years' ongoing access means you can develop this at your own pace, and continue to upskill new staff as needed.

Professional Development Impact

A sample of feedback from school staff who have completed the EBSA Horizons professional development programme

This is a simple, well-structured training programme that is easily accessible for all staff and can be broken down into shorter sessions where required. This does seem to be the whole package.

Headteacher

Primary School

Thank you so much - I wish I had come to this course far sooner as Inclusion Lead and SENCo. There are children who I could have supported far more quickly post-Covid.

SENCo & Inclusion Lead

Primary School

It is a fantastic course to ensure consistency, a whole school approach, and in depth knowledge of what can sometimes be misunderstood. An absolute must for all schools.

Deputy Headteacher

Secondary School

I am office based and witness children come into the reception area in various stages of anxiety. This training has given me the confidence to ask more relevant questions to help put them at ease.

School Administrator

Primary School

As a non teaching member of staff, I now have more understanding. The course was very informative and will assist our new emotional gateway provision in school - aimed at supporting learners.

Support Staff Member

Secondary School

Great course for all staff, particularly those in pastoral, attendance and SEND roles. It compliments our nurturing school ethos brilliantly and I will be sharing with key members of staff.

SENCO

Primary School

Dr Jerricah Holder (Training Lead)

Child & Educational Psychologist with over 10 years' specialist EBSA experience. Lead developer of guidelines and training used by Local Authorities across the UK. Evidence-based approaches grounded in extensive practice and research. Compassionate and engaging delivery of training

Part of Stockton's Education Partnership

Your school joins all other Stockton schools in this comprehensive Local Authority initiative, creating shared understanding and coordinated support across the education community.

Join Stockton's EBSA Initiative

Be part of every other school in Stockton supporting pupils experiencing attendance difficulties, and see the impact on attendance and wellbeing in your school. Register today for professional development that fits and grows within your individual school system.

Not the Headteacher / part of SLT? If you would like to just register yourself to access the training, please click here

Interested in your school accessing this training? Share this page with your headteacher or contact us to discuss implementation:

Stockton Council: [email protected]

Programme Support: [email protected]