Schools ordered to finish truancy scandal as 1 in 10 pupils absent | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Schools have been warned they aren’t doing sufficient to get kids into the classroom as absence charges which shot up after the Covid pandemic stay stubbornly excessive. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson mentioned one in 5 kids is persistently absent and that whereas some colleges are “doing really well”, others are “not making enough progress”.

Speaking to headteachers on the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual convention in Liverpool, she mentioned: “I won’t accept the damage that does to those children. I expect schools to catch up – fast. And I know that’s what schools want too, what you are all working so hard to do. The way we turn this around is through collaboration, partnership and, if we’re honest, old-fashioned graft.”

Last 12 months 1.6 million pupils missed a day of college each two weeks on common – one in ten of all pupils. This is up from 743,308 pupils within the 2018-19 faculty 12 months, earlier than the pandemic.

A complete of three.6 million kids missed 10 days or extra of college final 12 months. But kids in Year 11 who miss 10 days of college are half as prone to obtain a grade 5 in English and maths, analysis from the division reveals.

Ms Phillipson additionally introduced a evaluate of particular wants schooling after an inquiry by watchdog the National Audit Office warned the present system was failing, with prices hovering whereas pupils wait months for an schooling, well being and care plan to make sure they obtain the assistance they want.

It shall be led by former headteacher Tom Rees, now head of a nationwide chain of 44 academy colleges. He mentioned: “What’s clear is that there is consensus to move beyond just talking about problems and to push forward practical and evidence-led solutions and to build on the good work where it is happening in the system.”

There are 1.9 million kids and younger individuals below 25 with particular schooling wants however in a damning report final 12 months the National Audit Office mentioned households and youngsters “lack confidence” within the schooling system, as “insufficient capacity, and long waiting times contributed to low parental confidence.”