Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Seventh Report - Persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils
Education Committee
HC 970
Published 27 September 2023
Recommendations
2
Accepted
Para 20
Mandate schools' participation in the daily attendance data dashboard as soon as possible.
Recommendation
We welcome the daily attendance data pilot, the Department’s intention to mandate schools’ participation, and to replace the School Census. Given that around 80% of schools have been successfully using the dashboard over the last academic year, for consistency, we …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and intends to introduce regulations to mandate daily attendance data sharing for all state-funded schools no sooner than September 2024, subject to further engagement.
Department for Education
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6
Accepted
Implement statutory guidance on school attendance to be applicable from September.
Recommendation
The Department should implement statutory guidance to be applicable from September
Government Response Summary
The Government agrees to make the existing ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance statutory, will review and update it with new sections on mental health and SEND, and commit to revising pupil registration regulations.
Department for Education
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7
Accepted
Para 46
Ensure all schools across the country can access good support for tackling persistent absence.
Recommendation
We heard that support offered by local authorities can vary significantly. For example, since the funding for Education Welfare Officers has been devolved to schools, it has become a “traded good” for most schools, and a postcode lottery for pupils. …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it is already closely monitoring local authority support and that its 'Working together to improve school attendance' guidance sets out core functions for attendance staff, which it monitors through a team of advisers working with every local authority.
Department for Education
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8
Accepted
Conduct an audit of local authority support for persistent absence and assess EWO funding impact.
Recommendation
The Department should conduct an audit of support provided by local authorities to tackle persistent absence. As part of this, the Department should make an assessment of the impact of providing funding for Education Welfare Officers through schools, compared to …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it is already closely monitoring local authority support for attendance through a team of advisers working with every local authority, reviewing their approach and supporting plan implementation, and notes the significant change in LA roles since 2014.
Department for Education
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22
Accepted
Para 108
Unmet needs remain a significant barrier to school attendance for SEND pupils.
Recommendation
Whilst the SEND and AP improvement plan provides a useful framework for improving outcomes for this group of pupils, it is evident that unmet needs prevails as a very significant barrier to school attendance. Whilst we understand funding pressures, it …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance and details the ongoing SEND and AP improvement plan, which includes £2.6 billion investment for up to 60,000 new specialist places, monitoring attendance data, new national standards, and a Change Programme (2023-2025) to ensure pupils get timely support and improved attendance.
Department for Education
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23
Accepted
Para 109
Prioritise resource for inclusion and assessment in mainstream schools to support SEND pupils.
Recommendation
The Department should prioritise resource for inclusion and assessment in mainstream schools, to ensure they are adequately set up to support SEND pupils and address the current level of unmet need, and therefore improve their attendance rates.
Government Response Summary
The Government acknowledges the importance of improving SEND support and commits £2.6 billion between 2022-25, including investment in mainstream and special schools, to fund new specialist places and a SEND and AP change programme aimed at improving attendance and addressing unmet needs.
Department for Education
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25
Accepted
Para 119
Scrutinise alternative provision use to improve attendance, discouraging its application for behaviour management.
Recommendation
It is clear that alternative provision should only be a time-limited intervention with clear structures to ensure each pupil’s needs are being effectively supported. The Department should scrutinise its use and ensure they’re being used as methods of support to …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the need to ensure alternative provision is a time-limited intervention for support, and is testing a new AP system model through a Change Programme, focusing on targeted support, time-limited placements, and reintegration to improve attendance and reduce preventable exclusions.
Department for Education
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31
Accepted
Launch a public information campaign guiding parents on school attendance during illness.
Recommendation
We recommend the Department should launch a targeted public information campaign to guide parents on when and when not children who are unwell should attend school. Close working between the Department and the Department for Health and Social Care will …
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Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the recommendation and has already launched a regional public information campaign, working with DHSC, providing guidance on children's school attendance during illness, with plans for a national rollout in January based on the regional campaign's success.
Department for Education
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35
Accepted
Para 166
Conduct further research on attendance barriers for migrant pupils and those with high absence rates.
Recommendation
We heard that pupils with English as an additional language, or migrant pupils face some specific barriers to attendance. Although we asked if pupils from other ethnic minority groups faced barriers to attendance, such as Pakistani pupils, and White and …
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Government Response Summary
The Government cites existing research and will continue its current programme of research, including an evaluation of the attendance mentors programme, to further understand attendance barriers and inform future research priorities.
Department for Education
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Conclusions (6)
1
Conclusion
Accepted
The rate of absence in schools in England has increased significantly since the pandemic. It is of great concern that absence rates have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. The Department recognises the problem, which is encouraging, but there has been no significant improvement in the speed and scale of the …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's concern regarding absence rates, noting recent data showing some improvement, and highlights ongoing efforts through existing education recovery investments, tutoring, pupil premium, and the attendance plan to address underlying causes.
5
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 44
We heard mixed reactions to the guidance working together to improve school attendance. Whilst witnesses agreed guidance on a statutory footing is needed to improve attendance, we heard from a number of witnesses that the guidance in its current form may require revisions. The Department initially planned to revise the …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the need for statutory guidance and commits to reviewing and updating the existing 'Working together to improve school attendance' guidance, including new sections on mental health, targeting support meetings, and updated sections on SEND and LA services.
16
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 87
We heard limited evidence that schools were offering sports-based interventions to improve school attendance, despite the benefits of sport to pupil engagement. We did hear of localised interventions that are offering some provision, but the position of these interventions is often unsecure and unsustainable due to the lack of direct …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion about limited sports-based interventions for attendance, but primarily describes existing programmes like the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and the Pupil Premium, which allow schools to fund sport and wider strategies to support attendance.
24
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 118
We heard that alternative provision settings are providing useful interventions for pupils with attendance issues, we accept that it can be used as a process for reintegration. But, it is clear that alternative provision should not be seen as a long- term solution, nor should it be used to manage …
Government Response Summary
The Government acknowledges the committee's findings and is implementing alternative provision reforms through its Change Programme to ensure AP is used as a time-limited intervention, providing high-quality targeted support and building mainstream school capacity.
26
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 131
We have seen overwhelming evidence indicating a radical increase in mental health difficulties amongst school pupils since the covid-19 pandemic. With CAMHS waiting lists at all-time highs, and pupils on three-year waiting lists in some parts of the country, it is evident that the current capacity of mental health services …
Government Response Summary
The government stated it is already closely monitoring local authority support and highlighted its 'Working together' guidance, which sets clear roles for schools in addressing attendance barriers, in response to calls for more support for pupils with mental health difficulties.
30
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 141
Illness was the primary reason for pupil absence before covid-19 and remains so. But parental attitudes to illness and attendance have shifted and Government messaging has been inconsistent. As a result, the illness absence rate is considerably higher now that it was pre-pandemic.
Government Response Summary
The government detailed its existing ‘Working together to improve attendance’ guidance, which focuses on prevention, early intervention, and legal measures to tackle attendance problems.