Agenda item

Report Attached

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, and the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing attended the meeting and provided members of the committee with an update on the school attendance data. Councillor Smith also congratulated the co-opted member of the committee, Areeba Malik on her recent GCSE results.

Councillor Smith, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People highlighted the report sets out the new requirements from the department for education on maintaining high levels of school attendance. The guidance is aimed at maintained schools, academies independent schools and local authorities.

Will Blandamer Executive Director for Health and Adult Care wished to highlight the following points to members:

-        Senior GP in Bury has provided a webinar to support school attendance with an emphasis on trying to limit requests for sickness notes for children and will continue with this work

-        Work is taking place with safeguarding professionals to understand the link between safeguarding and school attendance

-        There is an initiative called lamplight to support Lamplight which is a web-based platform that helps organisations to manage their safeguarding duties and record their work with children and young people.

-        Bury has been working on an EBSA pathway to support children and young people who have a severe difficulty attending school due to emotional factors, to support access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

-        There are universal offers for supporting mental health in schools also; school-based intervention services including speech and language therapy, the role of myHappymind in schools and FortAlice domestic abuse charity

Jeanette Richards Executive Director for Children and Young People provided a brief overview of the following points to members:

-        The document provided a clear overview of the new policies and procedures to be implemented including the importance of penalty notices for school absence

-        The document supports the Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACS) framework, and it is felt that we are in a better position due to having clarity and more proactive offer

Councillor Tariq Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing wished to highlight how post covid the challenge between school attendance and the link with Health has increased. Councillor Tariq highlighted the following campaigns that are important for supporting school attendance:

-        The children and young people’s Mental Health coalition campaign which is jointly to provide a strong uniform voice to speak out about Children’s mental health.

-        Not In School national campaign

Councillor Boles opened up for question from members the following points were raised.

In response to a member question around the monitoring of independent schools, Members were informed by Janet Lloyd, Exclusions and Community Education Manager that independent schools are monitored and have contacted us for advice and support. Attendance forums have taken place and are new to Bury, schools have been invited offered training and support.

In response to a member question regarding fines for parents who have more than one absence in a term, members were advised that the new guidance has been shared with schools with an emphasis on targeting persistent and severe absences with the support from Attendance Officers.

A member sought assurances on when impacts from the new policies and procedures will be visible. In response members were advised that attendance figures have improved and Bury is already above national average. Activity such as attendance campaigns on social media targeting parents is currently being done. A member highlighted the impact of reduced attendance since COVID. Members were assured that the Department for Education are pleased with the recent progress.

Discussions took place regarding the documented reason for a child or young person’s absence, in response members were informed that Bury has a Section 19 Policy to support jointly with health professionals the child who is currently too poorly to attend school.

A member sought clarity regarding length of time for reported absences, members were assured continuous work is taking place with a maximum of six weeks.

It was agreed:

1. Members to be provided with details of the reason for absences in Secondary School Children and what is being done to work support these young people.
2. Members note the report.