True Causes
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Why does school attendance keep falling?
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anyone with the link · listed publicly · federation on
30 people · 28 ideas · 2 groups
Logic → · record
THE QUESTION

Why does school attendance keep falling?

The causes, deepest first. Disagreements stay on the map.

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The map
Left to right: deepest causes first; outlined green boxes are the roots. Only direct links are drawn — a link implied by a path is on the record, not in the picture. Dashed red is contested. Hover for full text.
Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk it → Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupilToilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk it → Teachers mark a late arrival the same as a full absencePupils say nobody would notice if they were not there → Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk itNobody at school knows which pupils are young carers → Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupilOlder siblings' history with the school shapes the family's attitude → Some families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunchFines are issued to families who cannot pay them → Older siblings' history with the school shapes the family's attitudeFines are issued to families who cannot pay them → Some families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunchCover lessons with a supply teacher are the ones pupils skip → Pupils who fall behind stop coming rather than sit in lessons they canParents contact the school only when the school has contacted them fir → Anxiety is the reason given most, and there is a waiting list to see aSome families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunch → Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absenceSome families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunch → A pupil's absence record follows them but the reasons do notReintegration after a long absence is left to the pupil → Pupils who fall behind stop coming rather than sit in lessons they canBreak is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longer → Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk itBreak is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longer → Parents contact the school only when the school has contacted them firBreak is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longer → Anxiety is the reason given most, and there is a waiting list to see aLetters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence → Older siblings' history with the school shapes the family's attitudeLetters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence → Fines are issued to families who cannot pay themLetters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence → A pupil's absence record follows them but the reasons do notAnxiety is the reason given most, and there is a waiting list to see a → Break is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longerTeachers mark a late arrival the same as a full absence → Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk itTeachers mark a late arrival the same as a full absence → Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupilThe first lesson on Monday is the most missed of the week → Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absencePupils say nobody would notice if they were not therePupils say nobody wouldnotice if they were not…Nobody at school knows which pupils are young carersNobody at school knowsclusterCLUSTER 1Cover lessons with a supply teacher are the ones pupils skipCover lessons with a supplyteacher are the ones pupil…Parents contact the school only when the school has contacted them firParents contact the schoolonly when the school has…part of a feedback loop⟳Break is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longerBreak is fifteen minutesand the queue for food is…part of a feedback loop⟳Anxiety is the reason given most, and there is a waiting list to see aAnxiety is the reason givenmost, and there is a…part of a feedback loop⟳The first lesson on Monday is the most missed of the weekThe first lesson on Mondayis the most missed of the…Some families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunchSome families keep childrenpart of a feedback loop⟳clusterCLUSTER 2Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absenceLetters home are the sametemplate whatever the…part of a feedback loop⟳Older siblings' history with the school shapes the family's attitudeOlder siblings'history with the school…part of a feedback loop⟳Fines are issued to families who cannot pay themFines are issued topart of a feedback loop⟳clusterCLUSTER 2Teachers mark a late arrival the same as a full absenceTeachers mark a latearrival the same as a full…part of a feedback loop⟳Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk itToilets are locked duringlessons and some pupils…part of a feedback loop⟳A pupil's absence record follows them but the reasons do notA pupil's absenceclusterCLUSTER 1Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupilReintegration after a longabsence is left to the…Pupils who fall behind stop coming rather than sit in lessons they canPupils who fall behind stopcoming rather than sit in…
How this dialogue measures
why
The indicators the method's own practitioners use to judge a dialogue's quality (Laouris & Metcalf 2024, Table 7), computed from this record so it can be compared with the hundreds of face-to-face and virtual dialogues behind their baselines. Spreadthink is the share of ideas that got at least one vote: 100% means everyone voted only for their own, and it usually settles to 25–45% once meaning has been shared. Situational complexity falls as more ideas are structured.
ideas (N)
28 usual: 50–100
with 1+ vote / 2+ votes
26 / 24
spreadthink
91.3% usual: 25–55
demosensus
8.7%
clusters (dimensions)
2
cards in a cluster
14.3%
structured / levels / links
20 / 4 / 23
situational complexity
1.16
minds moved
—
cards hidden by the steward
0
pairs contested
0
The merged map
why
Every group built its own map from its own wall; these are folded into one. The same claim raised in two groups is one item, and each connection shows how many groups found it. Where groups found opposite things, that is published as a conflict.
ROOT CAUSES
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◆ 7d1cc7b ⇄ c9689ee ⇄ ee120fc
◆ 754b11a
◆ 53b163b
◆ 3a9327b
Connections several groups found (23 of 23)
Nobody at school knows which pupils are young carers→Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupil1 group
Break is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longer→Parents contact the school only when the school has contacted them fir1 group
Teachers mark a late arrival the same as a full absence→Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupil1 group
Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence→A pupil's absence record follows them but the reasons do not1 group
Parents contact the school only when the school has contacted them fir→Anxiety is the reason given most, and there is a waiting list to see a1 group
Break is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longer→Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk it1 group
Older siblings' history with the school shapes the family's attitude→Some families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunch1 group
Anxiety is the reason given most, and there is a waiting list to see a→Break is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longer1 group
Fines are issued to families who cannot pay them→Older siblings' history with the school shapes the family's attitude1 group
Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk it→Teachers mark a late arrival the same as a full absence1 group
Fines are issued to families who cannot pay them→Some families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunch1 group
Pupils say nobody would notice if they were not there→Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk it1 group
Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence→Fines are issued to families who cannot pay them1 group
Parents contact the school only when the school has contacted them fir→Pupils who fall behind stop coming rather than sit in lessons they can1 group
Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupil→Pupils who fall behind stop coming rather than sit in lessons they can1 group
Teachers mark a late arrival the same as a full absence→Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk it1 group
Break is fifteen minutes and the queue for food is longer→Anxiety is the reason given most, and there is a waiting list to see a1 group
Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence→Older siblings' history with the school shapes the family's attitude1 group
Cover lessons with a supply teacher are the ones pupils skip→Pupils who fall behind stop coming rather than sit in lessons they can1 group
Some families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunch→Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence1 group
Toilets are locked during lessons and some pupils will not risk it→Reintegration after a long absence is left to the pupil1 group
Some families keep children home on days they cannot afford lunch→A pupil's absence record follows them but the reasons do not1 group
The first lesson on Monday is the most missed of the week→Letters home are the same template whatever the reason for absence1 group
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