Ofsted: Pupil Absence Rates

Lord Laming Excerpts

Tuesday 13th February 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

My noble friend needs to consider also the patterns of attendance before the pandemic. The curriculum was the same before the pandemic as post-pandemic, but attendance rates are very different. Linking absence entirely to the curriculum may require further consideration.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, the Minister will recall that in the Children’s Commissioner’s latest report, on absenteeism, she says:

“For some, the pandemic has led to disengagement. Schools and families have said that they feel like the social contract between parents and schools has been broken”.


Could we be assured that an Ofsted report will consider also the positive and creative engagement of parents in school life?

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

The noble Lord makes a good point. We need not wait just for Ofsted in order to look at the positive engagement of parents. Many of the schools I visit are focused substantially on that and on making sure that parents get positive feedback about their children in school—not just a call when their child is not there.