Commenting on the review by the Education Endowment Foundation
(EEF) of approaches to improving pupils’ school attendance, Geoff
Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, said:
“The pupils most likely to be absent from school are often those
who are vulnerable and struggle the most in education. Improving
their attendance is vital to improving their outcomes and life
chances. Schools work hard to do that already, but the EEF’s
review shows there isn’t enough firm evidence available to them
about what approaches work, and this is clearly a gap that needs
to be filled. We welcome the EEF’s plan to evaluate initiatives
which improve attendance and reduce exclusions. The results could
be of great value.
“However, this issue is not only about the approaches that are
used, it is also about the resources that are available. Over the
past decade, central government has decimated the funding for
local authority education support services, reducing the capacity
of these services to support pupils and parents and to tackle
persistent absence. At the same time, it has squeezed school
funding, making it harder for schools to provide pastoral support
for pupils who are facing challenges and barriers.
“The government is currently placing a big focus on improving
attendance, particularly in the wake of the Covid pandemic, and
it is right to do so. But it must recognise that effective and
sustainable intervention on a national scale requires an
appropriate level of investment.”
