This update on the school absence issue from the Isle of Wight council. Ed
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, leader of the Isle of Wight Council, said:
“In June 2013, less than one month after the council was elected, it received a Ministerial Direction from the Department for Education to improve the outcomes it provided for children. We have, therefore, followed all of the guidance, advice and direction issued from the Department for Education, which underpins why it was felt important that we pursued the case heard in the High Court on Friday.
“Having reflected on the case over the weekend I stand by the decision to bring it before the High Court. We had sought a clear binding ruling to give clarity for parents, schools, the council and the courts in relation to unauthorised absence from school.
“While I was surprised that this clarity was not forthcoming in the judgement of the High Court on Friday, the resultant expression from the Department for Education that it will now ‘look to change the legislation [and] strengthen statutory guidance to schools and local authorities’, means that the Isle of Wight Council was justified in taking this case to the High Court.
“More problems seem to have arisen rather than have been solved since the introduction of fines on parents/carers for unauthorised absence, and the removal of headteachers’ discretion. New clearer rules will help local authorities administrate national policy more effectively, if this is the result of this case then our original hopes and intentions will have been achieved; to give clarity to all.”
Attendance ‘v’ attainment
Councillor Bacon added:
“Central to this case and the intention to properly and sensibly manage unauthorised school absence, is the absolute need to maintain and improve educational outcomes. The Isle of Wight has seen steady improvement in its educational outcomes over the past two years, following a period of historically low standards compared to other areas in the country.
“We are determined to achieve continued improvement year-on-year, and reach a level of educational attainment on the Island which ranks alongside the very best in the country. So, encouraging and upholding attendance, to which attainment at school is inextricably linked, should be both fundamental and at the core of any new approach.”
The council’s Executive, at its meeting in January 2016, agreed that the council would “continue to promote high attendance in Isle of Wight schools, ensuring agreed practices are being followed and providing appropriate challenge where necessary”.
It also agreed to challenge schools to reduce persistent absence where it is high and in particular, to support them in tracking the attendance of vulnerable pupils and intervening where appropriate to ensure full attendance. The attainment of better educational outcomes has a direct impact upon future economic wellbeing. Success at school promotes self-esteem, attendance and good behaviour, leading to greater community cohesion, adult independence and active citizenship.
Next steps
Councillor Bacon said:
“As a parent myself, I can understand the point of view that the increased costs of holidays during school holidays can be a barrier to families accessing holiday time together. I believe too, that time together is of huge emotional benefit to children and to families.
“I hope we have now driven this debate to a place where the inequities of the current system can now be addressed; however following Friday’s decision we look to the Department for Education to do this.
“I will be asking that the Department for Education takes full account of the views of parents, teachers and educational professionals in the work it must now undertake.
“In the meantime the council will continue to implement the government’s existing statutory guidance around attendance until further clarification is received from the Department for Education, but the council will have to take into account when deciding if enforcement action is warranted that in this particular case the High Court ruled that 90 per cent was regular attendance.”
Image: © Simon Haytack
