The social contract between parents and schools has broken down with some families expecting remote teaching if their children do not attend, the head of Ofsted has said.
Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector, said pupil attendance was persistently lower than before the pandemic.
At the publication of the regulator’s annual report she also identified recruitment problems across schools, nurseries and children’s homes, with thousands of qualified workers leaving for hospitality and retail.
Spielman said lockdowns during the pandemic broke the “clear social contract” on the structure and routine of children going to school every day.
Some families no longer believe they have to send their children to school in person all the time and expect teachers to provide remote learning.
