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A STAR ATTENDANCE SOLUTIONS

Specialist Area CPD Courses

Our specialised accredited CPD courses are designed to provide focused, high-impact professional development that addresses the complex, real-world challenges behind pupil non-attendance.

Expert-led and research-informed, each course equips school leaders and attendance professionals with the advanced knowledge, strategies, and confidence needed to drive sustainable improvement.

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A STAR ATTENDANCE SOLUTIONS

Expert Trainers

Our CPD is delivered by sector specialists with extensive frontline and leadership experience.

Ian Cooper

Senior pastoral leader with proven impact in behaviour, safeguarding, and school culture.

Hannah Hall

National inclusion specialist with over 20 years’ experience in SEND, SEMH, and whole-school improvement.

Luke Bowers

Former MAT executive leader and attendance strategist, specialising in quality assurance and external review readiness.

Liliana Ghilardi

Trauma and attachment therapist specialising in child and family interventions.

David Stimson

UKCP-registered therapist with expertise in attachment-focused therapeutic practice.

COURSE DETAILS

Improving Attendance: Understanding Trauma and Attachment

Date: 11th May 2026
Time: 3pm – 4pm
Location: Online 

Course information

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CATS and A Star Attendance offers a one-hour online taster training for schools seeking to understand the impact of trauma and attachment on student attendance. This session provides an introduction to key concepts and practical strategies, including:

  • The Basics of Trauma & Attachment – How early experiences shape a child’s ability to engage.
  • Attendance & Emotional Regulation – Understanding how trauma-related anxiety and attachment disruptions affect school attendance.
  • Building a Supportive Environment – Practical approaches for schools to create safety, connection, and engagement.

This session is designed as an introduction, offering schools foundational knowledge and signposting further training opportunities for deeper exploration.

Trainers

Liliana Ghilardi, BAPT, BACP

Director of Clinical Services
 >About me

David Stimson, UKCP, ACSTH

Managing Director Therapist
>About me

Booking

Course: Improving Attendance - 11th May 2026

COURSE DETAILS

Improving Attendance: Behaviour First – Building the Foundations for Better Attendance

Date: 12th May 2026
Time: 3pm – 4pm
Location: Online

Course information

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Ian Cooper and A Star Attendance offers a one-hour online a session addressing the complex landscape of school attendance and behaviour.

In this CPD session, Ian will explore how prioritising behaviour can create the conditions for improved attendance and wider school success.

This session is designed for all school staff, offering real-world strategies and insights to help build consistent, supportive environments that promote student engagement and wellbeing.

Trainers

Ian Cooper, BA, MA, NPQH, NPQSL, MCCT

Deputy Principal for Pastoral Care and Inclusion, Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy
>About me

Booking

Course: Improving Attendance - 12th May 2026

COURSE DETAILS

Improving Attendance: Attendance and SEND

Date: 3rd June 2026
Time: 3pm – 4pm
Location: Online

Course information

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Attendance & SEND: a session addressing the complex landscape of school attendance and SEND. Joining the dots of policy and practice to support children with SEND we will navigate systems, provision and strategy at a universal, targeted and specialist level. The focus will be on ensuring a personalised and holistic approach to fostering the overall wellbeing of children and young people with SEND.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learning about the current national picture, statistics and research for children and young people with SEN
  • Reflections on a whole school, universal approach to creating a sense of belonging and safety
  • Reviewing targeted strategies and examples of best practice and provision for children and young people with persistent or severe absenteeism – EBSA
  • Effective ways of working with all stakeholders – staff, families, the young person, and other external support.

Trainers

Hannah Hall

Inclusion Expert, The Excellence Hub
>About me

Booking

Course: Improving Attendance - 3rd June 2026

COURSE DETAILS

Attendance Improvement and Robust Quality Assurance

Date: 4th June 2026
Time: 3pm – 4pm
Location: Online

Course information

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Luke Bowers (The Excellence Hub) and A Star Attendance offers a one-hour online a session exploring Attendance Improvement and Robust Quality Assurance. Are you doing all you can reasonably do to improve attendance? Is it working? How do you know? Where are your blind spots?

Participants will have a series of tried and tested attendance improvement strategies to consider as well as the tools and knowledge to develop a robust evidence base for any external scrutiny.

Trainers

Luke Bowers

CEO and Founder of The Excellence Hub
>About me

Booking

Course: Improving Attendance - 4th June 2026

Hannah Hall

Hannah has had a career of over 20 years in Education, and specialises in behaviour, SEMH and SEND. However, her expertise and passion for whole School Improvement & sustainable change, means she also provides guidance & practical strategy on curriculum design, implementation, teaching & learning & parental partnership, ensuring accessibility and equity for all.

She works nationally and internationally supporting schools & colleges, local authorities and trusts in reviewing, implementing, and developing cultural change, policies, systems and provision.

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Luke Bowers

Luke is the CEO and Founder of The Excellence Hub, an Education Solutions company. Luke is a experienced former school leader and MAT executive leader and has a passion for creating a positive culture of attendance in all education establishments. He is renowned for his unwavering commitment to improving attendance and outcomes for children and young people. His extensive expertise spans all phases of education, where he has consistently demonstrated his ability to foster positive change and drive improvement.

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Ian Cooper, BA, MA, NPQH, NPQSL, MCCT

Ian Cooper is an experienced senior leader with a strong track record of driving school improvement in behaviour, attendance, and safeguarding. As Deputy Principal for Pastoral Care and Inclusion, Ian plays a pivotal role in strategically leading a positive and supportive school culture.

With previous roles including Assistant Principal for Behaviour, Attendance and Safeguarding, Head of Year, Assistant Head of Year and Teacher in Charge of Computer Science, Ian brings a wealth of practical leadership experience from both academic and pastoral perspectives. His leadership contributed significantly to his current school achieving a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted after a decade of ‘Requires Improvement’.

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David Stimson, UKCP, ACSTH

David Stimson is a UKCP-registered therapist with expertise in trauma and attachment-focused therapy. As a Director of CATS, he works closely with families, schools, and social care to develop effective therapeutic interventions. In addition to his clinical work, David supports staff wellbeing initiatives, helping organisations create psychologically safe environments for their teams.

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Liliana Ghilardi, BAPT, BACP

Liliana Ghilardi is a BAPT and BACP-registered therapist specialising in Play Therapy, Filial Therapy and trauma-informed interventions for children and families. As a Director of CATS, she is committed to supporting individuals in processing early trauma and attachment disruptions. Liliana also plays a key role in staff wellbeing initiatives, ensuring professionals receive the support they need to work effectively in challenging environments.

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Ted

Meet Ted, our apprentice pup and newest team member! Under the watchful eye of his mentor, Milo, Ted is busy learning the tricks of the trade – from perfecting the art of the paw-shake to mastering the subtle science of snack-time diplomacy.

With boundless energy, endless curiosity, and a playful streak that keeps everyone smiling, Ted brings a spark of joy to the team. Whether he’s lending a paw during meetings, chasing new challenges (and the occasional tennis ball), or spreading good vibes wherever he goes, Ted reminds us all to stay curious, have fun, and never stop learning.

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Milo

I’m Milo, the lovable A Star Attendance dog and the official Head of Snuggles and Morale. I am known for my boundless energy and irresistible charm, and I am always ready to bring a smile to anyone’s face. When I’m not spreading positivity, you’ll find me enjoying long walks and happily chewing on my favourite toy, my antler horn.

I am a true connoisseur of treats, and I am particularly fond of cheese and chicken – I can smell it a mile off! I know I am an essential part of the team as they love to see my wagging tail and my joyful presence ensures that everyone feels supported and uplifted every day!

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Amy Ball

I have over 10 years of experience working in an infant school, starting as an EYFS teacher before progressing to Deputy Headteacher and later taking on the role of Attendance Lead. Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to supporting the development of young children and fostering a love for learning. My passion for early education is matched by my commitment to building positive, supportive relationships with families, understanding that collaboration is key to maximising children’s learning potential. As Attendance Lead, I focused on improving attendance rates, working closely with families to overcome barriers and ensure that every child had the opportunity to succeed. My experience in both teaching and leadership has provided a well-rounded understanding of how to support children, families, and schools in achieving the best outcomes.

I am now working with a dedicated team at A Star Attendance as Training Consultant to help schools implement the A Star Attendance System effectively and sharing strategies that improve attendance, to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed and thrive in their education.

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Ann Joughin

I began my career in London, working in the fast-paced environment of an investment bank. After gaining valuable experience in the financial sector, I decided to make a significant career shift and moved to the Northeast, where I started working in childminding. This change allowed me to focus on nurturing young minds and providing care in a more personal setting. Later, I transitioned again, this time into the education sector, taking a role at a secondary school. My diverse career journey highlights my adaptability and dedication to personal growth, as I moved from the world of finance to childcare and then to education, each step building on my passion for helping others.

I dedicated 19 years to the education sector, taking on various roles that allowed me to impact the lives of students and staff. One of my key positions was as an Attendance Officer, where I worked tirelessly to ensure students were attending school and supporting families to overcome challenges. After my time in education, I transitioned to A Star Attendance, where I became Office Manager. Outside of my professional life, I am married and have one daughter. I also shares my home with Milo, my beloved dog. We enjoy long walks, which offer me a peaceful escape. With a deep passion for making a difference, I am always driven by the desire to create positive change, both in my career and personal life.

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Melissa Warwick

I come to A Star Attendance Solutions from a leadership background in Education having had over 9 years’ experience of working within the sector and strategically leading Whole School Attendance Improvement across two schools in Sunderland, North East England. Having previous senior leadership roles with responsibility for attendance and inclusion, I am passionate about improving attendance rates and implementing innovative approaches to improve outcomes for students, and know the impact attendance to school has on these outcomes. I have always been invested in Education and hold a BA Hons in Education and Music.

As a previous user of the A Star Attendance System, I know how impactful the system is for improving school attendance and I am thrilled to now be able to work nationally with schools, driving attendance improvement and reducing persistent absence.

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Chris Manders

I’ve been interested in technology and engineering since I was a child, and have a strong career progressing through IT Support into Software Development where I channel that interest into engineering software solutions.

I take a lot of pride in my work having a positive impact on people, and A Star Attendance absolutely ticks that box as with every new development I can hear the team talking about the real world impact it’s having on our young people.

My life isn’t all about IT though, at home I dabble in woodworking and metalworking. I mostly end up making things for the workshop, but I have made my own sofa and coffee table!

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Jill Robson

Jill Robson is the Director of A Star Attendance Solutions. Up until six years ago she had worked for over twenty-two years for a local authority as an Attendance Officer, she decided to take a depth breath, leave her job and start A Star Attendance Solutions using her breadth of experience and skills.

Jill has always been passionate about school attendance as she believes that non- school attendance is just a symptom of further concerns, and that with early identification these issues are more likely to be resolved.

She decided to create The A Star System to support schools to manage their attendance in a transparent, fair and robust way, which hopefully means that no child’s non-attendance will go under the radar.  As a parent herself, Jill implicitly understand the importance of education and school attendance.

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