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1732990

registered interest
date	09/10/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school absences were recorded in Barking in the (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23 academic years.
tabling member constituency	Barking
tabling member printed	Nesil Caliskan
uin	8346
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2024 answer text <p>Information on pupil absence, including breakdowns by characteristic, is published at local authority level in the Pupil absence in schools in England statistics publication. This can be accessed here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2022-23" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2022-23</a>. The number of overall absence sessions, and absence rates, in Barking and Dagenham for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e975658f-5526-4b87-c3cc-08dce8260458" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e975658f-5526-4b87-c3cc-08dce8260458</a>.</p><p>Absence data is also published at school level. This can be combined with information from ‘Get Information About Schools’ (GIAS) to identify parliamentary constituency. This can be accessed here: <a href="https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/</a>. GIAS currently reflects the changes made following the general election parliamentary constituency changes.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 17/10/2024 15:28:06 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	5180

1732991

registered interest
date	09/10/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take this academic year to help schools tackle absences.
tabling member constituency	Barking
tabling member printed	Nesil Caliskan
uin	8347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2024 answer text <p>The government recognises school absence as a key barrier to learning and tackling this must be a top priority. Thanks to the sector's efforts, more students are attending school this year compared to last. However, 1.6 million children remain persistently absent, missing 10% or more of lessons.</p><p>To address this, backed by £15 million investment, the government will expand the reach of attendance mentoring to 10,000 more children and to cover an additional ten areas with some of the worst attendance rates across the country, which will help to get more children into school where they can be supported to achieve and thrive.</p><p>The department will additionally roll out funded breakfast clubs to all primary schools so that all children get a strong start to the day and are ready to learn. The department will also introduce new annual Ofsted reviews on safeguarding, attendance, and off-rolling. Mental health support is being expanded, with specialists in every school.</p><p>The ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ statutory guidance promotes a 'support first' approach, encouraging schools, trusts, and local authorities to work with families to address attendance barriers. This guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance</a>.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 18/10/2024 09:14:05 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	5180

1727641

registered interest
date	05/09/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many fines were issued to parents for taking children on holiday during term time at (a) independent and (b) maintained schools in the last year.
tabling member constituency	New Forest West
tabling member printed	Sir Desmond Swayne
uin	4335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2024 answer text <p>The department collects information from local authorities on penalty notices issued for unauthorised absence. This is published in the statistical release on Parental Responsibility Measures, which can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/parental-responsibility-measures" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/parental-responsibility-measures</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Information is not collected on the type of school the penalty notice relates to. Independent schools set their own attendance policies and penalty notices are not issued for pupils in these schools.</p><p> </p><p>In England, in the 2022/23 academic year, 356,181 penalty notices were issued for unauthorised family holiday absence in state funded schools, including academies.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 10/09/2024 15:29:06 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne

1715298

registered interest
date	01/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that changes to parent fines for missing school do not unintentionally impact children who are absent from school due to prolonged illness.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	24478
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2024 answer text <p>Legislation and the government’s ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance state that a penalty notice can only be issued when the absence constitutes an offence under section 444 of the Education Act 1997. Where a pupil cannot attend due to illness, this is not an offence and so legal enforcement action cannot be taken. This position will not change when the new rules for penalty notices come into force on 19 August 2024. The full guidance can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f1b048133c22b8eecd38f7/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance__applies_from_19_August_2024_.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f1b048133c22b8eecd38f7/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance__applies_from_19_August_2024_.pdf</a>.</p><p>More generally, the department expects schools and local authorities to take a ‘support first’ approach to improving attendance, only using penalty notices for absence that is classed as unauthorised and when support has already been provided and not worked or been engaged with, or in the case of holidays taken in term-time, is not appropriate. The vast majority of penalty notices for unauthorised absence (89% in the 2022/2023 academic year) are issued for term time holidays.</p><p>Whatever the cause of absence from school, school staff should work with families and pupils to understand the barriers to attendance and provide support where possible. This might include providing pastoral support or making reasonable adjustments where a pupil has a disability. In the case of prolonged illness, as soon as it is clear that a child will be away from school for 15 school days or more because of their health needs, the local authority should arrange suitable alternative provision. It is important that all pupils’ right to a full-time education is protected, whilst acknowledging that some pupils require more support than others.</p><p>The department is providing a series of training events and webinars throughout the summer term for schools and local authorities to ensure that the new rules regarding penalty notices are understood and implemented in line with the ‘support first’ approach.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 07/05/2024 15:57:14 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1695131

registered interest
date	11/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to capture data on the reasons for children not being in school settings.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2024 answer text <p>Ensuring that children are in school is a top priority for the government. As part of the comprehensive national attendance strategy to ensure that every child registered at school attends every day, the department has a daily data scheme to understand the drivers for absence. The local authority level data is published fortnightly and made available to schools and local authorities at a pupil level and is some of the richest and most timely attendance data in the world. Participation in the daily data scheme will become mandatory for all state-funded schools from September 2024. The latest data is available here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The department also collects information about the reason for placement into alternative provision (AP) by schools and local authorities through the school census and the AP census. This includes placements into non-school alternative provision settings.</p><p>For those children who are not enrolled at a school, the department collects termly data on home educated children and children missing education from local authorities, doing so on a voluntary basis since October 2022, with the collection becoming mandatory this autumn. Analysis of the data will help to improve understand of the drivers behind the rise in children not in school. The data for home educated children can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education</a>. The data for children missing education can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-missing-education" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-missing-education</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 19/03/2024 12:15:05 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1693780

registered interest
date	05/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of children who are absent from school who have (a) mental health challenges, (b) care experience, (c) experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences, (d) learning differences and (e) SEND.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17169
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2024 answer text <p>The department does not hold information on absence by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experience or learning differences, but does hold absence data by special educational need (SEN) primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Pupil Absence in Schools in England’ statistical release: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england</a>. The following links give absence rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4f2e3e6f-bd4d-475a-f345-08dc3835f618" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4f2e3e6f-bd4d-475a-f345-08dc3835f618</a>, and: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e227eadc-6f55-4c88-525a-08dc3ae70a0c" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e227eadc-6f55-4c88-525a-08dc3ae70a0c</a>.</p><p>Information on the number of children looked after who have been absent from school is published annually in the ’Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england</a>. The following link gives information on absence rates for children looked after on 31 March 2022: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/62dd649a-c5bd-4bc7-f354-08dc3835f618" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/62dd649a-c5bd-4bc7-f354-08dc3835f618</a>.</p><p>The department does not hold data on ‘off-rolling’. The government is clear that off-rolling (the practice of removing a pupil from the school roll without using a permanent exclusion, when the removal is primarily in the best interests of the school, rather than the best interests of the pupil) is unacceptable in any form and continues to work with Ofsted to tackle it.</p><p>The department does not hold information on suspensions by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experienced or learning differences, but does hold suspensions data by SEN primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England’ statistical release: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england</a>. The following links give suspension rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d4cda29e-4001-4c50-525d-08dc3ae70a0c" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d4cda29e-4001-4c50-525d-08dc3ae70a0c</a>, and: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8a5b1881-c48c-46fd-525e-08dc3ae70a0c" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8a5b1881-c48c-46fd-525e-08dc3ae70a0c</a>.</p><p>Information on the number of children looked after with a suspension is published annually in the ‘Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england</a>. The following link gives information on suspension rates for children looked after on 31 March 2021: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/43a05b59-1957-41b0-5268-08dc3ae70a0c" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/43a05b59-1957-41b0-5268-08dc3ae70a0c</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 17170 17171 question first answered 11/03/2024 11:57:03 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1693783

registered interest
date	05/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission research on why children are not in school.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17172
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2024 answer text <p>Ensuring that children are in school is a top priority for the government. The department routinely collects daily absence data to understand the causes for absence. The latest data is available here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The data is one part of the department’s comprehensive national attendance strategy to ensure that every child registered at school attends every day. The strategy contains stronger expectations of schools, trusts and local authorities to work together to tackle absence as set out in guidance that will become statutory in August 2024. It also includes an attendance data tool allowing early identification and intervention of pupils at risk of persistent absence. Participation in this data tool will become mandatory from September 2024.</p><p>As a further part of the strategy, 10 Attendance Advisers will support local authorities and trusts, expanding the department’s attendance mentor pilot from 5 to 15 areas from September 2024, backed by an additional £15 million and reaching 10,000 children. This will double the number of lead attendance hubs, bringing the total to 32, supporting nearly 2,000 schools to tackle persistent absence.</p><p>Alongside these measures, the department is supporting schools in promoting good mental health in children. Key steps include making grants available to all state schools to train a Senior Mental Health lead to embed a whole school approach to mental health, and further rollout of Mental Health Support Teams to reach 50% of children by April 2025.</p><p>These measures are making a difference, in 2022/23 380,000 fewer children were persistently absent or not attending in than in 2021/22.</p><p>For those children who are not enrolled at a school, the department collects termly data on home educated children and children missing education from local authorities, doing so on a voluntary basis since October 2022, with the collection becoming mandatory this autumn. Analysis of the data is allowing the department to understand the drivers behind the rise in children not in school and take action where appropriate. The data is available at: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf</a>.</p><p>Parents have a right to educate their children at home and must provide an efficient, suitable full-time education if the child is of compulsory school age. Local authorities hold the relevant powers to make enquiries with parents as to whether a suitable education is being provided. If home education appears not to be suitable, the local authority must commence the school attendance order process by first issuing a preliminary notice.</p><p>The government remains committed to legislation for a local authority registration system for children not in school. My hon. Friend, the Member for Meon Valley, Flick Drummond, introduced the Children Not in School (Registers, Support and Orders) Private Members’ Bill on 11 December 2023. The Bill’s Second Reading is scheduled for 15 March 2024. The government is working with her as she progresses her Bill.</p><p>Local authorities also have a duty to make arrangements to identify children in their area who are not in school or receiving a suitable education elsewhere. The department has issued statutory guidance for local authorities to support them in this duty, and is running a call for evidence on improving support for children missing education to inform future policy.</p><p>To keep all children safe, revisions to Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), clarify that a multi-agency safeguarding response applies to all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. In 2021, the department provided £1.5 million to 20 local authorities across 7 regions to develop and strengthen multiagency approaches to safeguarding adolescents at risk of harm outside the home. The department funded the £2.8 million Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme (2019/2023) to help local areas develop their strategic response to extra-familial harms.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 17173 17175 17176 17177 17178 question first answered 13/03/2024 09:57:36 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1693784

registered interest
date	05/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of how many children not in school have been exploited.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17173
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2024 answer text <p>Ensuring that children are in school is a top priority for the government. The department routinely collects daily absence data to understand the causes for absence. The latest data is available here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The data is one part of the department’s comprehensive national attendance strategy to ensure that every child registered at school attends every day. The strategy contains stronger expectations of schools, trusts and local authorities to work together to tackle absence as set out in guidance that will become statutory in August 2024. It also includes an attendance data tool allowing early identification and intervention of pupils at risk of persistent absence. Participation in this data tool will become mandatory from September 2024.</p><p>As a further part of the strategy, 10 Attendance Advisers will support local authorities and trusts, expanding the department’s attendance mentor pilot from 5 to 15 areas from September 2024, backed by an additional £15 million and reaching 10,000 children. This will double the number of lead attendance hubs, bringing the total to 32, supporting nearly 2,000 schools to tackle persistent absence.</p><p>Alongside these measures, the department is supporting schools in promoting good mental health in children. Key steps include making grants available to all state schools to train a Senior Mental Health lead to embed a whole school approach to mental health, and further rollout of Mental Health Support Teams to reach 50% of children by April 2025.</p><p>These measures are making a difference, in 2022/23 380,000 fewer children were persistently absent or not attending in than in 2021/22.</p><p>For those children who are not enrolled at a school, the department collects termly data on home educated children and children missing education from local authorities, doing so on a voluntary basis since October 2022, with the collection becoming mandatory this autumn. Analysis of the data is allowing the department to understand the drivers behind the rise in children not in school and take action where appropriate. The data is available at: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf</a>.</p><p>Parents have a right to educate their children at home and must provide an efficient, suitable full-time education if the child is of compulsory school age. Local authorities hold the relevant powers to make enquiries with parents as to whether a suitable education is being provided. If home education appears not to be suitable, the local authority must commence the school attendance order process by first issuing a preliminary notice.</p><p>The government remains committed to legislation for a local authority registration system for children not in school. My hon. Friend, the Member for Meon Valley, Flick Drummond, introduced the Children Not in School (Registers, Support and Orders) Private Members’ Bill on 11 December 2023. The Bill’s Second Reading is scheduled for 15 March 2024. The government is working with her as she progresses her Bill.</p><p>Local authorities also have a duty to make arrangements to identify children in their area who are not in school or receiving a suitable education elsewhere. The department has issued statutory guidance for local authorities to support them in this duty, and is running a call for evidence on improving support for children missing education to inform future policy.</p><p>To keep all children safe, revisions to Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), clarify that a multi-agency safeguarding response applies to all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. In 2021, the department provided £1.5 million to 20 local authorities across 7 regions to develop and strengthen multiagency approaches to safeguarding adolescents at risk of harm outside the home. The department funded the £2.8 million Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme (2019/2023) to help local areas develop their strategic response to extra-familial harms.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 17172 17175 17176 17177 17178 question first answered 13/03/2024 09:57:36 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1693786

registered interest
date	05/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to measure (a) the mental wellbeing of children who are not in school and (b) changes in their wellbeing.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17175
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2024 answer text <p>Ensuring that children are in school is a top priority for the government. The department routinely collects daily absence data to understand the causes for absence. The latest data is available here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The data is one part of the department’s comprehensive national attendance strategy to ensure that every child registered at school attends every day. The strategy contains stronger expectations of schools, trusts and local authorities to work together to tackle absence as set out in guidance that will become statutory in August 2024. It also includes an attendance data tool allowing early identification and intervention of pupils at risk of persistent absence. Participation in this data tool will become mandatory from September 2024.</p><p>As a further part of the strategy, 10 Attendance Advisers will support local authorities and trusts, expanding the department’s attendance mentor pilot from 5 to 15 areas from September 2024, backed by an additional £15 million and reaching 10,000 children. This will double the number of lead attendance hubs, bringing the total to 32, supporting nearly 2,000 schools to tackle persistent absence.</p><p>Alongside these measures, the department is supporting schools in promoting good mental health in children. Key steps include making grants available to all state schools to train a Senior Mental Health lead to embed a whole school approach to mental health, and further rollout of Mental Health Support Teams to reach 50% of children by April 2025.</p><p>These measures are making a difference, in 2022/23 380,000 fewer children were persistently absent or not attending in than in 2021/22.</p><p>For those children who are not enrolled at a school, the department collects termly data on home educated children and children missing education from local authorities, doing so on a voluntary basis since October 2022, with the collection becoming mandatory this autumn. Analysis of the data is allowing the department to understand the drivers behind the rise in children not in school and take action where appropriate. The data is available at: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf</a>.</p><p>Parents have a right to educate their children at home and must provide an efficient, suitable full-time education if the child is of compulsory school age. Local authorities hold the relevant powers to make enquiries with parents as to whether a suitable education is being provided. If home education appears not to be suitable, the local authority must commence the school attendance order process by first issuing a preliminary notice.</p><p>The government remains committed to legislation for a local authority registration system for children not in school. My hon. Friend, the Member for Meon Valley, Flick Drummond, introduced the Children Not in School (Registers, Support and Orders) Private Members’ Bill on 11 December 2023. The Bill’s Second Reading is scheduled for 15 March 2024. The government is working with her as she progresses her Bill.</p><p>Local authorities also have a duty to make arrangements to identify children in their area who are not in school or receiving a suitable education elsewhere. The department has issued statutory guidance for local authorities to support them in this duty, and is running a call for evidence on improving support for children missing education to inform future policy.</p><p>To keep all children safe, revisions to Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), clarify that a multi-agency safeguarding response applies to all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. In 2021, the department provided £1.5 million to 20 local authorities across 7 regions to develop and strengthen multiagency approaches to safeguarding adolescents at risk of harm outside the home. The department funded the £2.8 million Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme (2019/2023) to help local areas develop their strategic response to extra-familial harms.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 17172 17173 17176 17177 17178 question first answered 13/03/2024 09:57:36 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1693787

registered interest
date	05/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues on how regularly a child not in school should be contacted by the (a) school and (b) local authority to (i) help ensure their safety and (ii) check on their wellbeing.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17176
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2024 answer text <p>Ensuring that children are in school is a top priority for the government. The department routinely collects daily absence data to understand the causes for absence. The latest data is available here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The data is one part of the department’s comprehensive national attendance strategy to ensure that every child registered at school attends every day. The strategy contains stronger expectations of schools, trusts and local authorities to work together to tackle absence as set out in guidance that will become statutory in August 2024. It also includes an attendance data tool allowing early identification and intervention of pupils at risk of persistent absence. Participation in this data tool will become mandatory from September 2024.</p><p>As a further part of the strategy, 10 Attendance Advisers will support local authorities and trusts, expanding the department’s attendance mentor pilot from 5 to 15 areas from September 2024, backed by an additional £15 million and reaching 10,000 children. This will double the number of lead attendance hubs, bringing the total to 32, supporting nearly 2,000 schools to tackle persistent absence.</p><p>Alongside these measures, the department is supporting schools in promoting good mental health in children. Key steps include making grants available to all state schools to train a Senior Mental Health lead to embed a whole school approach to mental health, and further rollout of Mental Health Support Teams to reach 50% of children by April 2025.</p><p>These measures are making a difference, in 2022/23 380,000 fewer children were persistently absent or not attending in than in 2021/22.</p><p>For those children who are not enrolled at a school, the department collects termly data on home educated children and children missing education from local authorities, doing so on a voluntary basis since October 2022, with the collection becoming mandatory this autumn. Analysis of the data is allowing the department to understand the drivers behind the rise in children not in school and take action where appropriate. The data is available at: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652cf499697260000dccf830/Elective_home_education_and_children_missing_education_2023-24_aggregate_data_collection_guide_v1.1.pdf</a>.</p><p>Parents have a right to educate their children at home and must provide an efficient, suitable full-time education if the child is of compulsory school age. Local authorities hold the relevant powers to make enquiries with parents as to whether a suitable education is being provided. If home education appears not to be suitable, the local authority must commence the school attendance order process by first issuing a preliminary notice.</p><p>The government remains committed to legislation for a local authority registration system for children not in school. My hon. Friend, the Member for Meon Valley, Flick Drummond, introduced the Children Not in School (Registers, Support and Orders) Private Members’ Bill on 11 December 2023. The Bill’s Second Reading is scheduled for 15 March 2024. The government is working with her as she progresses her Bill.</p><p>Local authorities also have a duty to make arrangements to identify children in their area who are not in school or receiving a suitable education elsewhere. The department has issued statutory guidance for local authorities to support them in this duty, and is running a call for evidence on improving support for children missing education to inform future policy.</p><p>To keep all children safe, revisions to Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), clarify that a multi-agency safeguarding response applies to all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. In 2021, the department provided £1.5 million to 20 local authorities across 7 regions to develop and strengthen multiagency approaches to safeguarding adolescents at risk of harm outside the home. The department funded the £2.8 million Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme (2019/2023) to help local areas develop their strategic response to extra-familial harms.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 17172 17173 17175 17177 17178 question first answered 13/03/2024 09:57:36 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell