THE QUESTION
Why does school attendance keep falling?
Propose what to do, then judge whether each action would move each root.
30 at the table (29 simulated) · 3 actions proposed against 6 root causes. Add one, then judge whether each action moves each cause.
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Score the roots first
why
The method's own practice, before any action is proposed: each root cause is scored 1–5 on how feasible it is to address, how much impact addressing it would have, and how likely it is to resolve by itself with no intervention. Priority goes to roots with high impact, high feasibility and low likelihood of fixing themselves — priority = impact + feasibility − likelihood. Scores are averaged across the group and shown with how many scored.
1 = low, 5 = high. Your own scores; the group's averages beside them.
| root cause | feasible | impact | fixes itself | priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cover lessons with a supply teacher are the ones pupils skip | – | |||
| Nobody at school knows which pupils are young carers | – | |||
| Pupils say nobody would notice if they were not there | – | |||
| Parents contact the school only when the school has contacted them first | – | |||
| 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 anyone | – |
Would each action move each root cause?
Down the side: the actions people proposed. Across the top: the root causes the map found. Every square is one vote on one question — would this action significantly reduce that cause? One side has to reach 75% of the votes cast to settle it; short of that the square stays split.
why
Answered at 75% of votes cast, like every other question here. Split means people voted and neither side reached that bar — it is a result, not a queue, and it stays split until enough people change their minds. A square nobody settles stays undecided; it never turns into a no. Judging each pair on its own is what stops a popular action being credited with fixing things it does not touch.
| ACTION | ROOT CAUSES · does the action on the left reduce it? | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cover lessons with a supply teacher are the ones pupils skip | Nobody at school knows which pupils are young carers | Pupils say nobody would notice if they were not there | Parents contact the school only when the school has contacted them first | 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 anyone | |
| First contact home for any absence is a phone call that asks why, made by someone the pupil knows discuss | ✗ no, it does not 6 yes / 23 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✗ no, it does not 4 yes / 25 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✗ no, it does not 2 yes / 27 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✓ yes, it reduces this 25 yes / 4 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✗ no, it does not 4 yes / 25 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ⚑ the group split 8 yes / 21 no · 22 of 29 settles it |
| Publish who is missing by year and reason, not one percentage in focus ↑ · close ✕ | ✗ no, it does not 2 yes / 27 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✓ yes, it reduces this 26 yes / 3 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✗ no, it does not 3 yes / 26 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✓ yes, it reduces this 23 yes / 6 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ⚑ the group split 8 yes / 21 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✗ no, it does not 3 yes / 26 no · 22 of 29 settles it |
| A return plan for every absence over a week, owned by a named adult discuss | ✓ yes, it reduces this 25 yes / 4 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✗ no, it does not 5 yes / 24 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✓ yes, it reduces this 25 yes / 4 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✓ yes, it reduces this 26 yes / 3 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✓ yes, it reduces this 26 yes / 3 no · 22 of 29 settles it | ✓ yes, it reduces this 25 yes / 4 no · 22 of 29 settles it |
Highest leverage so far
A return plan for every absence over a week, owned by a named adult reduces 5 of 6 root causes
Publish who is missing by year and reason, not one percentage reduces 2 of 6 root causes
First contact home for any absence is a phone call that asks why, made by someone the pupil knows reduces 1 of 6 root causes