Schools the length and breadth of the country are sounding their sirens about worsening attendance, and increasing challenges with pupil behaviour.
Absence of disadvantaged students and students with SEN was already higher than their peers pre-pandemic. Absences across all groups have increased since the pandemic.
The suspension rate for FSM eligible pupils is more than 4 times that for non FSM eligible pupils. The permanent exclusion rate for FSM eligible pupils is 0.10, compared to 0.02 non FSM eligible.
Amongst many reasons for these widening gaps, we hear the following:
- As a result of the many social fractures experienced by families, education is less of a priority when you are working hard each day to secure food, shelter and warmth.
- An overloaded curriculum makes it hard for pupils to achieve and experience success. Success is an important component of motivation.
- In a bid to help children catch up, schools are causing cognitive overload in children with historic under-achievement.
- In the mind of some parents and pupils, experience of home learning has devalued the importance of being in school to learn.
- More home based working for parents enables pupils to be at home more.
- Missed personal and social development has made it harder for some pupils to self-regulate when in school.
- Poor staff retention means children have fewer trusting relationships with adults in school.
