Ellie Costello is at the front of a growing movement against the “one-size-fits-all” education system that creates, she says, kids who cannot cope in school.
Square Peg, the parent support group she leads, is particularly concerned by the top-down pressures schools are facing to bolster attendance. This forces “square pegs” to fit round holes that damages “the peg, not the hole”.
Many heads will challenge that view – and it is clear children not being in school leads to its own dangers – but Square Peg’s mission is one that can’t be ignored.
Persistent absenteeism (where pupils miss 10 per cent or more classes) doubled from 10.9 per cent in 2018-19 to 22.5 per cent last year. Getting those children back in class is creating a battleground between schools and frustrated parents.
