Report of the Strategic Director of Children and Education Services

This report provides a summary of attendance data in Manchester for the academic year 2022/2023.  It also reviews some of the activity that has taken place over the course of the last academic year and outlines the strategic approach for 2023/2024 for Committee Members.

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director of Children and Education Services whichprovided a summary of attendance data in Manchester for the academic year 2022/2023. It also reviewed some of the activity that had taken place over the course of the last academic year and outlined the strategic approach for 2023/2024 for Committee Members.

Key points and themes in the report included:

• National context;
• Attendance data overview in 2022/2023;
• Overview of attendance work in 2022/2023; and
• Strategic approach 2023/2024.

A Member expressed concern that Wythenshawe had worse school attendance than other areas of the city and asked what the Council and local Councillors could do to address this.  The Statutory Lead for Attendance and Exclusions reported that his team had worked with a number of schools in Wythenshawe through the Targeted Support Meetings pilot and this had resulted in improved attendance levels in those schools.  He advised that he was confident that when Targeted Support Meetings were rolled out to other schools in Wythenshawe, this would result in further improvements.  The Director of Education advised that Ward Councillors could help through their role, for example, asking why a child was not in school or routinely asking about children’s schooling when families approached them for help and she outlined some of the support families could access if they were struggling to get their child to school on time, through Early Help Hubs or the school.  She reported that school attendance was looked at through the school quality assurance process and, where needed, schools could be invited to attend a Support and Challenge meeting to discuss this.  

In response to Members’ questions about Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN), the Statutory Lead for Attendance and Exclusions reported that these were requested by the individual school so there was variation in their use across the city, with some schools using it as early intervention and some using it as a last resort, although there were plans to provide more challenge to schools on their processes before issuing an FPN.  He informed the Committee that 75% of FPNs were issued due to families taking holidays in term-time, with most of the rest being due to persistent absence.

The Chair highlighted that the groups with the lowest attendance levels were White Travellers of Irish Heritage and White Gypsy/Roma and asked what work was taking place to address this.  The Statutory Lead for Attendance and Exclusions reported that the Council produced a model attendance policy for schools which included an appendix with guidance in relation to these groups and that Targeted Support Meetings with schools could be used to formulate a strategy for improving the attendance of individual pupils.

The Chair advised that Ward Councillors in areas with the lowest attendance levels should be informed of this.  She supported the development of a strategy to improve attendance levels for White Travellers of Irish Heritage and White Gypsy/Roma children.

Decisions

1.            To note the progress made on school attendance in 2022/2023.

2.            To approve the strategic approach for 2023/2024 which both meets the DfE non statutory requirements and improves support to schools.

3.            To approve the strategic approach for 2023/2024 which looks to build a partnership consensus around attendance so that a multi-disciplinary approach is embedded across Children’s Services and wider agencies.

4.            To support the building of a ‘think attendance’ approach into Members’ ward level activity so that attendance at school is encouraged and promoted with all residents.

5.            To support the development of a strategy to improve attendance levels for White Travellers of Irish Heritage and White Gypsy/Roma children.