The Labour party intends to utilize an opposition day debate to propose a motion for passing a new law that would establish a registry for children who are not attending school, in order to address ongoing issues with absenteeism.
According to a recent study by New Labour, approximately one in three students taking their GCSEs have been absent from secondary school for almost three months due to the pandemic. This is expected to have a negative impact on their academic performance.
The proposed action aims to gain authority over the parliamentary schedule in order to pass a bill for children who are not attending school (national register). This bill would establish a register maintained by the council for children who are not enrolled in school.
The proposal, which will include home-schooled students, has gained widespread backing from both parliament and other sources. It was previously included in a government bill, the schools white paper, that was abandoned two years ago.
In December 2022, Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, informed members of the education committee that creating a record of students not attending school was a top concern. However, this topic was not mentioned in the king’s speech last November. Keegan reiterated the government’s dedication and is backing a private members’ bill from Conservative MP Flick Drummond with the same objective.
Prior to the vote on Tuesday, Bridget Phillipson, the opposition’s education spokesperson, emphasized the urgency of addressing the primary issue plaguing our schools. She stressed the importance of Labour’s motion as the initial step in their comprehensive strategy to address chronic absenteeism.
Phillipson recently announced Labour’s proposal for a mandatory national registry for children who are homeschooled. This plan aims to address the concerning levels of student absenteeism in schools in England following the pandemic.
It would place a legal duty on councils to keep a register of all children who are not in school and on parents to provide information about their child’s education at home. Under Labour’s plans, children in England would be given a unique number to link records held by schools, health visitors and councils to stop any child falling through the gaps.
The statement will read: “This assembly denounces the incompetence of the education secretary in addressing the ongoing issue of chronic school absences.”
This statement urges the government to promptly pass a law that will modify the Education Act of 1996. The aim is to require local authorities in England to keep a record of children who are eligible for school but not currently enrolled. This requirement is outlined in part 3 of the schools bill [Lords], which was released during the 2022-23 parliamentary session. This order includes the necessary provisions to implement this duty.
Phillipson plans to criticize the Conservatives’ track record in education. She pointed out that despite claims of support for the register of children not in school, current and former schools ministers from the Conservative party have failed to act on it.
“The secretary of state has made it clear that her top priority is to pass legislation for a register in the near future. This is why Labour is offering her and her Conservative colleagues a chance to follow through on her promise.”
A government representative stated that they are dedicated to passing a law for a register of children not attending school. They have also promised to move forward with this when there is available time for legislation.
Source: theguardian.com
