Cerys Turner

School attendance improves but ‘still a long way to go’ Official figures show a year-on-year rise in pupil attendance, but severe absence remains on an ‘alarmingly upward trajectory’, warns the Centre for Social Justice

Attendance is improving but severe absence - pupils missing 50% or more of lessons - remains stubbornly high.

It casts a shadow over the govt's otherwise positive attendance figures for the 24/25 academic year, published this morning:

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

‘Inappropriate’ to judge schools against two frameworks, Ofsted told Watchdog confirms it will use the new inspection framework in monitoring visits to assess schools that it has told to improve under the current framework

Ofsted has confirmed that schools that were assessed under the current inspection framework may receive monitoring visits under the new report card system.

But @naht.org.uk warned that it would be "wholly inappropriate" to compare the two frameworks.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

In his first Tes interview, @NASUWT-official.bsky.social gen sec Matt Wrack reveals he is "shocked" at the level of behaviour and violence that teachers put up with.

He reflects on his turbulent election, school structures & priorities for the busy autumn term.

Teacher recruitment ‘back to pre-pandemic levels’ Analysis of the latest data shows an improving picture for ITT recruitment, according to NFER workforce lead Jack Worth

Looks like a slowing wider labour market may help the government hit its new teacher pledge.

Interesting that male applicants are up by 14% compared with 8% for women, with computing, physics and business studies seeing big rises.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

DfE leaked personal data of up to 84,500 people School leaders’ union calls for full transparency over the people affected

The DfE may have leaked the data of over 80,000 people... a revelation it tucked away on pg 282 of its annual report (of course).

It was serious enough to be reported to the ICO - however, DfE can't say whether children's data was involved. Eek.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Most adults are against teachers using AI to mark coursework Major survey on AI in education also reveals some scepticism about teachers using it to complete admin tasks

Two stories which reflect some of the big challenges of the day. How should the system use coursework in the age of advancing AI? Interesting new survey data on public views here in this story by @cerysturner.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Most adults are against teachers using AI to mark coursework Major survey on AI in education also reveals some scepticism about teachers using it to complete admin tasks

Interesting polling from Cambridge Assessment/YouGov:

Almost 2/3 of adults are opposed to teachers using AI to mark coursework - despite a big push from govt for schools to use it to support teaching tasks.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Fix basic literacy before promoting reading for pleasure The government’s priority should be helping the many pupils who are behind with their reading - and we know exactly how to do it, writes FFT’s Mike Fischer

"Over a quarter of pupils are leaving primary school not meeting the expected standard in reading. This goes up to 40 per cent for white, working-class pupils, and 59 per cent for those with special educational needs."

An argument for fixing basic literacy before promoting reading for pleasure...

3.2% school support staff pay rise agreed Union warns higher pay will be needed in future after it is confirmed pay deal has been accepted

Unison and GMB have accepted a 3.2% pay increase for school support staff.

It may be a surprise move for some, given that the unions urged members to vote against the offer - union leaders have been clear that higher pay will be needed in the future.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Matt Wrack elected as NASUWT general secretary Former Fire Brigades Union boss defeated challenger Neil Butler

Matt Wrack has been elected as the general secretary of @nasuwt-official.bsky.social after his win in April was contested.

Wrack, the former Fire Brigades Union boss, won with 5,249 votes to Neil Butler’s 3,126.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

School-readiness data won't be available to the public Headteachers' leaders had previously warned against the new targets becoming 'another stick to beat schools with'

School readiness data - key to the govt target to get 75% of children 'school-ready' by 2028 - will not be made available to the public.

Headteachers were prev. concerned that the data tool could be used for accountability measures if publicly accessible.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Genuinely one of the smartest things the department can do. Inflation is reasonably predictable as are trends on recruitment and retention. If schools and trusts know their income (which they do) and also their major costs for the next 3 years, it helps planning and efficiencies immensely.

What freedoms will academies lose under the new schools bill? The planned legislation is set to result in significant changes to academy powers. Jasmine Norden and Ellen Peirson-Hagger outline which freedoms academies will lose and retain

Another interesting part of Phillipson's letter:

She's asked the STRB to consider pay flexibility for maintained schools. Currently, only academies have this benefit - and it's one they're keen to keep, as the debate over the schools bill has shown.

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Phillipson asks for 3 years of teacher pay recommendations Education secretary asks the pay review body to make formal recommendations for the next two years by February, and an indicative recommendation for 2028-29

New: Bridget Phillipson has called on the teacher pay review body to make pay recommendations for the next three years to provide "budget certainty" for schools.

The late pay cycle has been an annual stress for teachers - this is a welcome change from the DfE.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Costello adds that in our aspiration to ensure children don't miss out on school, there is a "real tension of burdening" those children and families.

She says that families need to feel "enabled and empowered", rather than "targeted".

He suggests an attendance awareness course, rather than a fine, could be a more successful consequence for absence.

Ellie Costello, executive director at Square Peg, calls fines "Dickensian" and says that if we fine someone for another's offence, we're in "really dangerous territory".

How the DfE attendance mentor scheme will work The programme director overseeing the delivery of the government's new attendance scheme outlines how it will work for those involved - and how it could benefit all in the sector

Lilley says that attendance mentors are a "positive step" but it is concerning that the initial pilot is "less successful" than some of the models it was based on.

The intervention "cannot be scaled in a way that addresses the attendance problems that we have".

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Rachael Kenningham, head of policy and engagement at School-Home Support, calls for more support for the "missing middle" - pupils who are between persistent absence and severe absence.

She would like to see more "intensive interventions" targeted at this group.

Lilley adds some pupils don't see what they can gain from school in terms of qualifications and future work opportunities.

He agrees with earlier panellists that the trust between families and schools has "deteriorated significantly", especially for the most serious cases of absence.

On to the second part of the session:

What factors are driving high absence?

Dan Lilley, senior researcher at Centre for Social Justice, says that the environment for parenting has become "more challenging" - in part due to social media, but also more "isolation".

McCulloch says that ASCL was initially "sceptical" about the positive impact breakfast clubs will have on attendance but is now less sceptical.

Members involved in the pilot are seeing a "positive impact" on attendance for those they need in school the most.

Govt initiatives are "not touching the majority of schools", McCulloch adds.

Sandy is worried that without funding, the "progress will stall".

Restore expert group to tackle absence crisis, DfE urged The Attendance Action Alliance - set up to 'supercharge' efforts to tackle school absence - has not met since May

McCulloch says that the attendance alliance was a "useful initiative to look at the issue in a rounded way".

Attendance hubs and attendance mentors came from that group, and are "helpful but limited".

Hubs will support 500 schools, which is a "drop in the ocean".

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Sandy agrees that the guidance is useful, but the "long-term, sustainable funding" hasn't followed.

Vernon-Jackson says that following the statutory guidance has cost councils £40 mil, but the govt has not provided the funding.

New register rules could make attendance issues 'worse' Leaders raise concerns about new statutory attendance rules that they warn can penalise disadvantaged students or those with SEND

McCulloch says that schools find some aspects of the attendance guidance helpful, but having to mark pupils as absent if they arrive after the 30-min registration window is "really unhelpful" in parent relationships.

Tes first covered these concerns last year:

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Sandy says that fining is "most effective as a deterrent" but we can't identify a clear cause and effect.

McCulloch is concerned that fines appear "adversarial" says that the govt shift towards a "support-first approach" is welcome.

But Vernon-Jackson says that we should "trust heads more" when it comes to making fines.

Vernon-Jackson backs a social media ban for children.

McCulloch says that schools are moving "rapidly" to a no phone approach - the bigger problem is phones out of school.

Sandy adds that education needs to "keep up" with what children are experiencing.

What is driving up school anxiety?

Vernon-Jackson says that the pressures of social media is "enormous" - "bullying can now go on for 24 hours a day via your phone".

He says we no longer "ignore" anxiety but "listen", which means the issue is "more highlighted".

Dr Morris-King says that the messaging during the pandemic was to not send your child in if they have anything minor, which has stuck and left some parents "very anxious".