Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the Department for Education’s announcement about a crackdown on behaviour and boost to attendance at the start of the school term.
“We welcome the Education Secretary’s call for parents to join a united effort to promote good attendance and behaviour. It is only through working collectively – families and schools together – that we will get to grips with these issues. Many school leaders have reported that behaviour and attendance have been worse since the pandemic. Schools work hard to deal with these issues, and while most parents are supportive, some are less so, and this can be extremely difficult to manage. We know that this may be a symptom of the fact that many families are struggling with a range of pressures, and we would encourage parents who are in this position to talk to their schools. Good communication is key.
“We commend the schools in the first wave of attendance and behaviour hubs and wish all those involved every success. However, it is important to understand that we need to see much more action from the government to support schools and colleges in their vital work. It is extremely difficult to put in place the pastoral systems necessary to support children and young people given the chronic underfunding of the education system. Wider public services which support families are also under huge pressure with schools and colleges very often being left to pick up the pieces. We need to invest in our children and young people and the Chancellor’s budget in the autumn would be a good place to start.”