Agenda item

(To receive a report from Jill Chandar-Nair, Inclusion and Attendance Manager, which invites the Committee to review and comment on the Children Missing Out on Education Annual Report 2019/20)

The Chairman advised that this item provided the Committee with an update on children missing out on education in 2019/20.  The Chairman invited Jill Chandar-Nair, Inclusion and Attendance Manager, to present the report to the Committee.

The Committee noted that the Local Authority had a duty to have processes in place to identify children who were not receiving a full time suitable education.

It was highlighted that Covid-19 had impacted on attendance at schools and some of the data presented in the report was limited to the period in which schools were fully open which was September 2019 until the end of February 2020.

Details of the trends and activities for 2019/20 were shown on pages 65 and 66 of the report.

Attached at Appendix A to the report was a copy of the document 'Children Missing Out on Education Annual Report 2019/20'.

The Committee noted that if a child had unauthorised absence of more than 4.5 days over a six week period, schools were permitted to request the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).  It was highlighted that there had been 1600 FPN's issued in 2019/20, and if the process had not ceased in March 2020 due to the pandemic, there would have been at least the same number of FPN's as in 2018/19.

It was noted that during the 2019/20 period, 293 cases had been presented to the courts for poor attendance.  It was noted further that this was more than previous years due to the prosecution for non-payment of FPN'S.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following comments:

·       Some concern was expressed to the number of parents taking their children out of school to go on holiday in term time.  The Committee was advised that the vast majority of parents did not take children out of school for family holidays.  In some instances when it was done, it was usually due to affordability of a family holiday.  It was also highlighted that in some instances a parent might also have children at different schools who operated different term times, which then caused one child being absent from school during term time;

·       Support for the traveling community.  The Committee was reassured support was provided for the travelling community;

·       The close working arrangements of the county council, social workers and police in some instances when young people were missing out on school; and 

·       Cost of Fixed Penalty Notice.  The Committee noted that a fixed penalty notice paid within 21 days was £60.00.  The amount doubled if paid after 21 days but within 28 days.  It was highlighted that the fine would be applied to each parent for each child.  Some concern was expressed whether fines should be means tested.  Reassurance was given that the issue of a fixed penalty notice was at the discretion of the head teacher; and that schools were doing everything possible to avoid issuing fixed penalty notices.

RESOLVED

That the Children Missing Out on Education Annual Report 2019/20 be received and that the comments raised by the Committee be noted.