Leader of the Isle of Wight council, Jonathan Bacon has responded to news this morning that Isle of Wight Conservative councillors intend to put forward a motion at next month’s full council meeting to call for a consultation on school term dates.
In relation to the release, Cllr Bacon said,
“I am glad that this release appears to show at last a recognition of the importance of school attendance and a desire to facilitate it rather than the desire shown previously to support patents taking their children out of school whenever they wish.
“I note that the statement concentrates on the ability to take holidays as its primary concern rather than the wider issue of unauthorised absences, which is what the recent Court case was about. As is well recorded, absence from school is a serious issue on the Isle of Wight and needs to be addressed.”
Under Tories 10,000 school days lost in one term
With some shocking statistics to hand, Cllr Bacon went on to reveal,
“In the autumn term of 2012, under the last Conservative Administration there were in the region of 10,000 school days lost through absence.
“In the autumn term of 2015 that figure had been reduced to about 4,000 following the work undertaken by the current administration as part of our partnership with Hampshire County Council.”
Conservatives looking to meddle
Cllr Bacon finished by saying,
“It worries me that the Conservatives Group on the Isle of Wight are looking to meddle with the education system again given the disastrous effects the last time they did so.
“It also concerns me that they have not acknowledged the fact that there is a national system within which any changes must be accommodated and the fact there is already an annual consultation with schools about term dates, the results of which were recently placed before Councillor Stewart in his role as Chair of the Council Scrutiny Committee.
“That said I welcome any move that will help to address matters that will improve educational attainment on the Island, provided that is the guiding consideration. At the moment however we await news from the DfE as to how they and the Conservative Government intend to take forward the issue of school attendance, which they have clearly indicated they intend to so do.”
Image: comedynose under CC BY 2.0
