Product reviews for Making School Unmissable

At a time when schools are grappling with issues around attendance, engagement and belonging, Making School Unmissable offers a refreshing shift in perspective. Rather than asking how we get children into school, Rachel Macfarlane and Paul Jenkins ask what makes school somewhere children genuinely want to be.

The book encourages schools to think deeply about the experiences they create for pupils, staff and families. Its focus on purpose, belonging, success, empowerment and adventure provides a useful framework but it is the wealth of examples and opportunities for reflection that make the book particularly valuable.

What stands out is the authors' clear belief that schools can be places of joy, connection and opportunity. The ideas are ambitious without feeling unrealistic and the reflective questions lend themselves well to leadership discussions and school improvement work.

This is a thoughtful read that reminds us that the most memorable schools are not simply places of learning but places where people feel they matter.