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Labour plans to use AI to tackle school absence | Labour plans to use AI to tackle school absence |
(about 4 hours later) | |
More than one out of every five children in England are persistently absent from school | More than one out of every five children in England are persistently absent from school |
The Labour Party says it will make tackling poor school attendance a top priority if it forms the next government. | The Labour Party says it will make tackling poor school attendance a top priority if it forms the next government. |
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson will set out a range of measures later. | Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson will set out a range of measures later. |
The plans include using artificial intelligence to spot trends in absence. | The plans include using artificial intelligence to spot trends in absence. |
This week, the government promised to extend the existing attendance-hub scheme to support a thousand more schools in England. | This week, the government promised to extend the existing attendance-hub scheme to support a thousand more schools in England. |
Labour's plans are being backed by Sir Kevan Collins, who resigned as the government's education catch-up tsar after failing to secure the funding he wanted. | Labour's plans are being backed by Sir Kevan Collins, who resigned as the government's education catch-up tsar after failing to secure the funding he wanted. |
Boost sport to get pupils back to school - report | Boost sport to get pupils back to school - report |
School-absence fines make problem worse, MPs told | School-absence fines make problem worse, MPs told |
One in five regularly misses school, figures show | One in five regularly misses school, figures show |
Department for Education (DfE) data shows more than one out of every five children in England are persistently absent from school - double the proportion before the Covid pandemic. | Department for Education (DfE) data shows more than one out of every five children in England are persistently absent from school - double the proportion before the Covid pandemic. |
Persistent absence means missing at least 10% of school days - about four full weeks from the academic year. | Persistent absence means missing at least 10% of school days - about four full weeks from the academic year. |
A Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) report this week suggested more school sport could help but also found some parents thought children did not need to be in school full time. | A Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) report this week suggested more school sport could help but also found some parents thought children did not need to be in school full time. |
The DfE says parents have a duty to ensure children attend school. | The DfE says parents have a duty to ensure children attend school. |
Labour's plans include: | Labour's plans include: |
a register for home-schooled pupils, to track those not in mainstream schooling | a register for home-schooled pupils, to track those not in mainstream schooling |
free breakfast clubs for all primary-aged children in England | free breakfast clubs for all primary-aged children in England |
Ofsted reviewing absence as part of annual safeguarding spot checks | Ofsted reviewing absence as part of annual safeguarding spot checks |
using AI to spot trends in absence, linking with existing records in other services such as social care | using AI to spot trends in absence, linking with existing records in other services such as social care |
more mental-health support in schools | more mental-health support in schools |
giving schools more funding for early speech-and-language interventions | giving schools more funding for early speech-and-language interventions |
Ms Phillipson says a Labour government will make education its priority. | Ms Phillipson says a Labour government will make education its priority. |
"For each of us, and for all of us, background must be no barrier to opportunity," she will say. | "For each of us, and for all of us, background must be no barrier to opportunity," she will say. |
Bridget Phillipson will lay out Labour's plans to tackle persistent absence | Bridget Phillipson will lay out Labour's plans to tackle persistent absence |
Sir Kevan highlighted the impact of the pandemic on school absence and educational attainment, calling the current situation "a real crisis". | Sir Kevan highlighted the impact of the pandemic on school absence and educational attainment, calling the current situation "a real crisis". |
"Covid has cast a long education shadow and unfortunately, for some children, they're still suffering the consequences of learning loss," he told BBC News. | "Covid has cast a long education shadow and unfortunately, for some children, they're still suffering the consequences of learning loss," he told BBC News. |
He was supporting Labour's plans as "there's a very serious endeavour to get a hold and a grip on some of these issues". | He was supporting Labour's plans as "there's a very serious endeavour to get a hold and a grip on some of these issues". |
And he emphasised the "clear evidence" in support of breakfast clubs improving attendance. | And he emphasised the "clear evidence" in support of breakfast clubs improving attendance. |
"We need serious action," Sir Kevan continued. | "We need serious action," Sir Kevan continued. |
"All too often, the response to the pandemic has been piecemeal and, in my view, half-hearted." | "All too often, the response to the pandemic has been piecemeal and, in my view, half-hearted." |
'Maxed out' | 'Maxed out' |
Boris Johnson appointed Sir Kevan in February 2021, to advise the government on helping England's schools recover and create a long-term plan to help students catch up on learning after the pandemic. | Boris Johnson appointed Sir Kevan in February 2021, to advise the government on helping England's schools recover and create a long-term plan to help students catch up on learning after the pandemic. |
"I'm a Labour Party sympathiser but I was happy and honoured to go and support a Conservative prime minister," Sir Kevan said. | "I'm a Labour Party sympathiser but I was happy and honoured to go and support a Conservative prime minister," Sir Kevan said. |
"We all had to stand up and do our part." | "We all had to stand up and do our part." |
But he resigned a few months later, after the government allocated £5bn in funding, rather than the £15bn he had advised. | But he resigned a few months later, after the government allocated £5bn in funding, rather than the £15bn he had advised. |
"The phrase that was used was that we were 'maxed out on recovery' - and I don't think we ever maxed out on recovery," Sir Kevan said. | "The phrase that was used was that we were 'maxed out on recovery' - and I don't think we ever maxed out on recovery," Sir Kevan said. |
"We left schools too often on their own to resolve this. | "We left schools too often on their own to resolve this. |
"For too many children in our most vulnerable communities, we failed them and let them down." | "For too many children in our most vulnerable communities, we failed them and let them down." |
'Best start' | 'Best start' |
On Monday, the government announced £15m worth of investment over three years to address school attendance issues. | On Monday, the government announced £15m worth of investment over three years to address school attendance issues. |
The DfE promised 18 new attendance hubs - bringing the total to 32 across England - providing tailored support to pupils at 2,000 schools, up from 1,000. | The DfE promised 18 new attendance hubs - bringing the total to 32 across England - providing tailored support to pupils at 2,000 schools, up from 1,000. |
The government also plans to provide more targeted and intensive support to more than 10,000 severely absent students and their families. | The government also plans to provide more targeted and intensive support to more than 10,000 severely absent students and their families. |
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan called attendance issues her top priority. | Education Secretary Gillian Keegan called attendance issues her top priority. |
"We want all our children to have the best start in life because we know that attending school is vital to a child's wellbeing, development, and attainment," she said. | "We want all our children to have the best start in life because we know that attending school is vital to a child's wellbeing, development, and attainment," she said. |
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Related Topics | Related Topics |
Schools | Schools |
Children | Children |
Labour Party | Labour Party |
Ofsted | Ofsted |