Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer.

Further to Minute No. 87 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 4 February 2021 the Council considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer and the Final Report of the Persistent Pupil Absence Working Group.

It was moved by Councillor Carragher, seconded by Councillor Murphy and

RESOLVED:     That the following recommendations be approved:

1.       That the good practice regarding school attendance currently undertaken by the Council and schools, as outlined in the findings of the Final Report, be acknowledged and noted;

2.       That the Interim Head of Education be requested to explore the possibility of:

(a)      a campaign to tackle school attendance across all key stages with a specific emphasis on the early years and foundation stage, the campaign to focus on conveying clear messages about how absence affects attainment, wellbeing and wider outcomes;

(b)      delivering of clear messages about expectations, routines and consequences to new pupils and families through prospectus and admission/transition events;

(c)      ensuring that the attendance of vulnerable children is monitored across the early years stage;

(d)      an aspiration for a post of a dedicated worker for children who are supported by Education, Health and Care Plans, in order to address any barriers for children and young people attending school; this aspiration could be considered in the future as part of the on-going work on school attendance;

(e)      attendance being part of the enhanced transition and not just for children and young people on the Special Educational Needs and disability (SEND) register, as this will address the early identification of any school attendance issues;

(f)       sanctions for non-attendance being applied consistently across primary and secondary schools;

(g)      schools providing an adult mentor to those children who have contact with the school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) but who are not on the SEND register, with whom the children can have regular access and build up a relationship;

(h)      strongly encourage schools to provide training in SEND and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) conditions to all staff;

(i)       Extending buddy schemes with older peers to all schools, pupils to be “matched up” to ensure they have something in common;

(j)       Improving communication between primary and secondary schools at transition stage, to ensure children are “understood” by teaching staff in secondary schools and that any good practice is shared; and

3.       That the Senior Democratic Services Officer be requested to liaise with relevant officers in order to ensure that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services and Safeguarding) receives a six-monthly monitoring report, setting out progress made against each of the recommendations outlined above.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Maher welcomed Councillor Carragher, Lead Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Children’s Services and Safeguarding, Persistent Pupil Absence Working Group to the Meeting to present the Working Groups Final Report.

Councillor Carragher presented the Working Groups Final Report and highlighted that the Working Group had been established on 9 July 2019, long before the Covid pandemic had emerged and at a time when there were some concerns regarding school attendance, particularly attendance at primary schools.

The Working Group reviewed persistent pupil absence in schools within the Borough, with a particular focus on those children with Special Educational Needs support, those with Education Health Care Plans, and pupils supported by Child Protection, Child in Need and Early Help Plans. The Working Group had found that both early years, and the transition stage from primary to secondary schools, were critical times as attendance at those key stages could build the foundation and set the scene for children for years to come.

Councillor Carragher highlighted that excellent work was already being progressed in many of Seftons schools in partnership with the Local Authority and emphasised that the recommendations, if approved, would further enhance that work.

Councillor Carragher expressed her gratitude to all Members and Officers for their assistance during the course of the review and in producing the final report on behalf of the Working Group.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Councillor Cummins thanked Councillor Carragher, Working Group Members and Officers for the report and requested that recommendation 2 (h) be amended as follows:

2 (h)   strongly encourage schools to provide training in SEND and   Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) conditions to all staff.

Decision Made:      That Cabinet noted the following recommendations and commended the report with recommendations to the Council with the inclusion of the amended recommendation above:

1.       That the good practice regarding school attendance currently undertaken by the Council and schools, as outlined in the findings of the Final Report, be acknowledged and noted.

2.       That the Interim Head of Education be requested to explore the possibility of:

(a)      a campaign to tackle school attendance across all key stages with a specific emphasis on the early years and foundation stage, the campaign to focus on conveying clear messages about how absence affects attainment, wellbeing and wider outcomes.

(b)      delivering of clear messages about expectations, routines and consequences to new pupils and families through prospectus and admission/transition events.

(c)      ensuring that the attendance of vulnerable children is monitored across the early years stage.

(d)      an aspiration for a post of a dedicated worker for children who are supported by Education, Health and Care Plans, in order to address any barriers for children and young people attending school; this aspiration could be considered in the future as part of the on-going work on school attendance.

(e)      attendance being part of the enhanced transition and not just for children and young people on the Special Educational Needs and disability (SEND) register, as this will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer presenting formally the final report of the Persistent Pupil Absence Working Group. The Final Report of the Working Group was attached to the report.

Councillor Carragher, the Lead Member of the Working Group, introduced the report.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised issues on the following:

·       Consideration of how a temporary post associated with school attendance could be made permanent.

·       How sanctions for non-attendance could be applied consistently throughout the Borough.

·       Information requested on home schooling from parents, for the working group review had produced a disappointing response.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet and Council be recommended to support and approve the following recommendations:

1.       That the good practice regarding school attendance currently undertaken by the Council and schools, as outlined in the findings of the Final Report, be acknowledged and noted;

2.       That the Interim Head of Education be requested to explore the possibility of:

(a)      a campaign to tackle school attendance across all key stages with a specific emphasis on the early years and foundation stage, the campaign to focus on conveying clear messages about how absence affects attainment, wellbeing and wider outcomes;

(b)      delivering of clear messages about expectations, routines and consequences to new pupils and families through prospectus and admission/transition events;

(c)      ensuring that the attendance of vulnerable children is monitored across the early years stage;

(d)      an aspiration for a post of a dedicated worker for children who are supported by Education, Health and Care Plans, in order to address any barriers for children and young people attending school; this aspiration could be considered in the future as part of the on-going work on school attendance;

(e)      attendance being part of the enhanced transition and not just for children and young people on the Special Educational Needs and disability (SEND) register, as this will address the early identification of any school attendance issues;

(f)       sanctions for non-attendance being applied consistently across primary and secondary schools;

(g)      schools providing an adult mentor to those children who have contact with the school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) but who are not on the SEND register, with whom the children can have regular access and build up a relationship;

(h)      encouraging schools to provide training in SEND and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) conditions to all teaching staff, to include office staff;

(i)       extending buddy schemes with older peers to all schools, pupils to be “matched up” to ensure they have something in common;

(j)       Improving communication between primary and secondary schools at transition stage, to ensure children are “understood” by teaching staff in secondary schools and that any good practice is shared; and

3.       That the Senior Democratic Services Officer be requested to liaise with relevant officers in order to ensure that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services and Safeguarding) receives a six-monthly monitoring report, setting out progress made against each of the recommendations outlined above.