Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Persistent Absence from School

Monday 17 July 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • School attendance is a personal priority for the Minister to ensure children's education and wellbeing.
  • The Minister rolled out a daily attendance data tool and an attendance action alliance group.
  • The Minister expressed concerns about the impact of the pandemic on children's attendance and education.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Robin Walker Con
Education
Context

The question addresses the issue of persistent school absenteeism among secondary students, a concern raised by educational bodies and local authorities.

Question

What steps she is taking to tackle persistent absence in secondary schools? I am concerned about persistently high levels of unauthorised absences which can have serious implications for children's learning and future opportunities. The Education Committee has long recommended the introduction of a statutory register of children not in school, which would help identify and address these issues.

Answer from Gillian Keegan

School attendance is important for not just a child's education but their wellbeing and life chances, and it is a personal priority. We have rolled out the daily attendance data tool; launched the attendance action alliance group of system leaders, which includes representatives from health, policing and social care; expanded the attendance hub support; and deployed expert advice to work with local authorities. Termly persistent absence fell by a fifth from summer last year to spring this year, with 350,000 fewer persistently absent pupils.

Answered
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Q2 Esther McVey Con Tatton
Education Mental Health
Context

The question arises from concerns that school closures during the pandemic had negative impacts on children's education, mental health, and attendance rates. The member asks for assurances that schools will remain open in future emergencies.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that shutting schools during covid lockdowns was a disaster for children and their mental health and has led to an explosion in severely absent rates? Will she make sure that cannot happen again by classifying all education settings, including schools, colleges and universities, as essential infrastructure, to ensure they remain open during national emergencies?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Schools were not shut during lockdown. Many of our fantastic teachers were still teaching key cohorts, supporting our NHS and the most vulnerable, such as those with special educational needs, but I fully share my right hon. Friend's concerns about the impact that the pandemic has had on attainment, attendance and mental health. She knows we are working hard to recover, making almost £5 billion available for recovery. I can assure her that we will always seek to minimise the disruption to education in emergency situations.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Classification of all educational settings as essential infrastructure

How: We Are Working Hard To Recover, Making Almost £5 Billion Available For Recovery

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Q3 Robin Walker Con
Education
Context

The question pertains to the recommendation from the Education Committee for a statutory register of children not in school. The member seeks support and rapid adoption of this measure.

Question

Alongside her welcome funded pay offer, which will hopefully see an end to disruptive strikes, a real drive to reduce persistent absence and increase attendance would be welcome. A long-standing recommendation of the Education Committee is a statutory register of children not in school, which she is well aware of and has told us is a priority. May I therefore urge her to rapidly adopt the private Member's Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Meon Valley (Mrs Drummond) so that we can get on with delivering on that priority?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

I thank my hon. Friend for his Committee's work on this issue, which really is important. We have a world-class education system, but we need children in school to be able to take advantage of that. As he knows, my Department remains committed to legislating for statutory local authority registers of children not in school and will do so at the next suitable legislative opportunity when parliamentary time allows.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to adopting the private Member's Bill from Mrs Drummond

How: My Department Remains Committed, Next Suitable Legislative Opportunity

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Q4 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Children & Families
Context

The question addresses the need for early intervention to help families manage their children's education, especially in light of past disruptions like school closures during the pandemic.

Question

I thank the Secretary of State very much for her responses. It is obvious that she is committed to making things better. In the light of the covid home-schooling period during which parents may have forgotten the importance of socialisation as well as academic education, many may need reminding of the legal obligation to educate children. Has the Department considered tidying up the intervention period to allow early intervention and discussion with parents where possible before any action is taken?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

We are very much taking a supportive approach. We know that there are complex reasons why some children are missing school—some have lost their confidence and are anxious about school and how far they are behind—so we are taking a focused approach. We have leads in local authorities working closely with schools, and we are measuring the impact of all the things we are doing, which includes attendance hubs, as well as looking to support parents to get their children back into school.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Revising the intervention period for early discussion with parents

How: Taking A Supportive Approach, Measuring Impact Of All Measures

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