Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 30 October 2023 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The Head of Access to Education and Alternative Provision will be in attendance to provide further information in relation to the Panel’s current scrutiny investigation, including school attendance statistics and details of the Vulnerable Children Attendance Project (VCAP).

Recommendation: That the Panel receives and notes the information provided and considers the next steps for its review.

The Head of Access to Education and Alternative Provision was in attendance to deliver a presentation to Members.  The Executive Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Education and Partnerships were also present to provide information to the panel.

The presentation covered the following topics:

• The importance of good attendance.
• Headline Attendance Data for the current and last year.
• Headline Persistent Absence Data (last year).
• Attendance of Vulnerable Groups (last year).
• Special Schools.
• Actions.

The Head of Access to Education and Alternative Provision identified the current attendance position across Middlesbrough.  Following discussion around broader themes at the previous scrutiny meeting, it was explained that Middlesbrough’s performance was of interest to the Department for Education (DfE).  Members heard that weekly meetings were currently taking place to discuss attendance matters with the DfE, including the work being undertaken to address concerns, the direction of travel, etc.

Good attendance mattered because when children did not attend school, not only were their longer-term life chances impacted, but they were more vulnerable and open to exploitation.  The importance of education was not to be underestimated.

Statistical data showing attendance performance for the current and previous school year was provided to Members.  It was indicated that attendance was always higher in the autumn term, before figures started to reduce in January/February, followed by a large drop towards the end of the school year as families went on holiday.  The worst term for attendance was summer.

The Headline Attendance Data for this year, to 20 November 2023, was provided as follows:

It was indicated to the panel that, as the government’s expectation for attendance nationally was 95%, Middlesbrough was behind and did require improvement.

In terms of Secondary attendance, it was explained that when performance dipped below 90%, this was regarded as a concern.  Middlesbrough was currently just under that.

In terms of attendance at Special Schools, Middlesbrough performed well in comparison to the national average.

Persistent Absence was a DfE term and referred to any child with a 90% attendance or less.  Severe Absence referred to any child with a 50% attendance or less, or attendance at school equated to 2.5 days, on average.

In terms of the Headline Attendance Data (last year), this was provided as follows:

Members noted that the comparison data placed Middlesbrough behind regional counterparts by just under 2.5 percentage points; Secondary and Primary attendance data was also low and behind others.  However, attendance at Special Schools was performing well in comparison to others, although this was still below 90%.

In terms of the Headline Persistence Absence Data (last year), this was provided as follows: