Agenda item

(a)       Members accepted the attendance and exclusion data for Flintshire schools and the actions undertaken by officers to support increased engagement and the safety and wellbeing of our children and young people.

(b)       Members recognised that the data provided has been impacted by COVID19 lockdown and school closures.

            In presenting the report the Senior Learning Advisor (Engagement) provided detailed information on the levels of attendance and exclusions across the county which were the main reasons for pupil absence from September 2020 to Summer 2021. Information on the trends for school attendance, levels of fixed term and permanent exclusions was given but the national picture from Welsh Government (WG) was suspended during this period, so the information presented was gathered from our local schools and SIMS data.  He referred Members to Appendix 1 and explained that Welsh Government (WG) had provided specific Covid-19 absence marks for schools to use but many of the absences were recorded with the (i) mark.  The work of the Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and other teams had changed during, and following, the Covid-19 pandemic and he outlined what processes and support were provided to vulnerable learners to maintain contact, ensure they were in a safe environment to enable them to engage with education.

            The Senior Learning Advisor then provided information on the Fixed Term and Permanent Exclusions which had been increasing in recent years and he outlined the reasons for these exclusions.  Detailed information was provided on how his team had changed their approach to proactively look for hotspots and engage with these pupils to hopefully turn the situation around and enable them to return to education.

            Following several questions from Members the Senior Learning Advisor provided detailed information on the exclusion process, patterns of behaviour, marks used by Head Teachers and responsibility for logging absences.  The pandemic had impacted pupils attendance at school with covid, mental health and other issues a concern.  He outlined the proactive way that engagement with these pupils was taking place to understand the reasons for absence and provide support to pupils and families to enable them to return to school.   

            The Senior Learning Advisor then referred to unauthorized absences and provided information on the Welsh Government (WG) thresholds and levels within Flintshire schools.  It was anticipated that the situation would improve with the new approaches from the Education Welfare Service (EWS) that would be in place from September. The Chief Officer (Education & Youth) confirmed that schools wanted to keep unauthorized absences to a minimum from a safeguarding perspective and outlined the systems in place in schools such as the Attendance Policy which required follow up from the school from the first day of absence if no contact had been received from the parents.  Head Teachers could escalate unauthorised absences to the EWS so that fixed penalty notices could be issued.  The Senior Learning Advisor reported on the monthly meetings held with the Education Other than at School team (EOTAS) and gave an overview of the Early Intervention Strategy to help, assist and support pupils and families to enable better outcomes.    

            Councillor Andrew Parkhurst asked if there was a target for the whole of Flintshire not individual schools for unauthorised absences.  In response the Chief Officer (Education & Youth) commented their aspiration would be zero but recognized that there would be absences, but it was important that schools understood the reasons why pupils were absent and that they were safe. 

            In response to questions from Councillor Carolyn Preece, the Senior Learning Advisor advised that Welsh Government (WG) had not removed the covid marker yet but reported on informal networks across the region where information could be shared.  The situation in Flintshire was not uncommon with other authorities.  Schools were using the same generic systems when logging attendance information which included links to all agencies such as the Schools Inclusion Service and Youth Justice Service.   It was explained that the authority had a duty of care to provide automatic support and education to those excluded learners.  For those permanent exclusions engagement would be made with the families to understand the process which could enable them to return to school with parents having other options such as choosing another school for their child.  The EWS had recruiting staff to provide that liaison between elective home educated children and to ensure the service was more responsive. with the service becoming more responsive.  An overview of the work undertaken by the Strategic Group to understand and support pupils with more than 3 exclusions was provided.  

            The Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure, commented that previously the blanket target figure for attendance across all schools was 95% with some schools achieving this and other schools struggling to achieve it was not constructive.  There were a range of other strategies including managed moves used when a fresh start could be suitable for pupils.  It was very easy to set targets, but these did not to recognize the challenges met in schools to achieve that target.  The Senior Learning Advisor said welfare and working with families was always a starting point to target support in the most effective way.  With data and information more effectively underpinning the work of the EWS with more targeted interventions it was hoped that there are more positive outcomes for learners, particularly in improved attendance and reduced exclusions.  

            In response to the comments made by Councillor Dave Mackie, the Chief Officer (Education & Youth) said just setting an arbitrary target would not drive improvements in every school.  She provided reassurance to Members that schools had robust processes, policies, and systems in place with the Senior Learner Advisor and his team providing that extra scrutiny and support to schools.  If schools were unable to secure improvements with a family the Senior Learning Advisor and his team would step in to provide those interventions and support.  She outlined the changes within the team to support schools to exercise their statutory functions and that next year it would be possible to demonstrate the impacts of those actions.

            In response to a question from Councillor Gina Maddison on whether this was an emerging trend prior to Covid, the Senior Learning Advisor commented that Covid had been exceptional with the impacts felt across the country.  From a welfare perspective, when trying to understand what children had experienced, as regards isolation, working from home, missing friends, and routine this provided some of the reasons why they were reluctant to go to school.  The Head Teacher would have the evidence in line with the graduated response to allow them to authorize the absence or not and enable then to enable engagement with various options available to support that pupil.   The Chief Officer (Education & Youth) reported that prior to Covid there had been a declining attendance trend at secondary school level which was referenced in the 2019 Estyn Report.   Cases of anxiety and mental health issues were being reported by pupils then, resulting in some not wanting to attend schools and the pandemic had exacerbated that.

            In response to a question from Councillor Andy Hughes on the first batch of fixed penalty notices, the Senior Learning Advisor confirmed that the application of a fixed penalty notice was at the discretion of the Head Teacher under the Attendance Policy.  He outlined how his team administered and delivered them with every case dealt with on its individual merits. 

            The recommendations, as outlined within the report, were moved Councillor Gina Maddison and seconded by Councillor Carolyn Preece.

RESOLVED:

(a)       Members accepted the attendance and exclusion data for Flintshire schools and the actions undertaken by officers to support increased engagement and the safety and wellbeing of our children and young people.

(b)       Members recognised that the data provided has been impacted by COVID19 lockdown and school closures.