The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove)
The Government are determined to help teachers address the poor attendance and bad behaviour of some pupils, which disproportionately affect the chances of disadvantaged children.
The poor attendance or lateness of a number of pupils can disrupt their own education and that of other pupils. Quickly these children begin to fall behind their peers and often they never fully catch up with gaps in their skills or knowledge. Overtime these pupils become disillusioned with education and by year 10 and year 11 they are lost to the system. These pupils are the most likely to become “not in education, employment or training” (NEET) when they leave school and easily fall into antisocial behaviour and crime.
On 4 April last year I announced the appointment of Charlie Taylor, a head teacher with a track record in radically improving behaviour in some of the most troubled schools, as the Government’s expert adviser on behaviour. I am pleased to inform the House that he has agreed to serve in this role for another year.
On 1 September I asked Charlie Taylor to review and report on school attendance and alternative provision.
He has now published his report on school attendance, which I would like to bring to the attention of the House. I have responded and welcomed his recommendations.
The recommendations should lead to attendance problems being addressed at an earlier stage before bad habits become ingrained. Starting early with the attendance of younger children at primary school should reduce the number who develop truancy problems when older. The range of school absence data will be improved to help teachers to pick up and deal with poor attendance patterns across the age-range.
Having sent a strong message that attendance is important, we must equip schools to tackle the minority of parents who do not heed that message. I agree that the current penalty notice scheme should be simplified. Today, the Government have made changes to the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2007 to increase the amounts stated on the notices from this September. The Government will explore ways to make payment of penalty notices swift and certain.
We will also take steps to implement the other recommendations in the report as early as we can.
Copies of Charlie Taylor’s report, and my response to him, are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.