Enforcing a heightened parental responsibility, according to Phillipson, as fresh initiatives are implemented to augment school attendance rates
A growing concern about the safety and attendance of children in schools has prompted the Government to roll out new measures, with a particular focus on white working-class children.
According to a Parentkind survey, 15% of parents reported their child feels unsafe at school. This worrying statistic has led to calls for action from various quarters, including Bridget Phillipson, who has launched new measures to address the issue.
Phillipson has highlighted the concerning fact that one in 10 white children on free school meals were suspended last year, with suspension rates five times higher than their peers. The same group of children also has among the highest overall absence rates.
In a bid to improve school attendance and behaviour, the Government has selected organisations as support schools. While the exact names of these organisations and the precise number of schools and students to receive support are not yet specified, the Government has announced financial support such as budgets of 100,000€ for each primary school and 200,000€ for each secondary school for local needs.
The Department for Education (DfE) has also announced 21 schools as attendance and behaviour hubs, which will support 800 schools attended by around 600,000 pupils. Tom Bennett and Jayne Lowe have been appointed as attendance and behaviour ambassadors to support this program.
Data shows that seven out of every 30 classroom minutes are lost to disruption. This disruption has increased post-pandemic, with a survey by the NASUWT teaching union finding that four in five members felt the number of pupils exhibiting violent and abusive behavior at school has increased.
The DfE's schools white paper, expected to be published in the autumn, will also address behaviour issues. Bridget Phillipson has acknowledged the difficulty for parents who need mental health support and has urged parents to take responsibility for getting their children back to school.
However, Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), has expressed a need for more action from the Government to support schools and colleges. He believes that more needs to be done to address the root causes of these issues.
Despite the concerns, the latest DfE figures show that while the overall absence rate was lower in autumn 2024/25 than it was the previous year, the number of pupils severely absent increased from 142,000 in autumn 2023/24 to 148,000 in autumn 2024/25.
Phillipson has claimed that it is only this Government that has the courage to upend a system that has resolutely failed white working-class children. She encourages everyone to work together to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed in their education.
Read also:
- Impact of Alcohol on the Human Body: Nine Aspects of Health Alteration Due to Alcohol Consumption
- Understanding the Concept of Obesity
- Lu Shiow-yen's Challenging Position as Chair of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Under Scrutiny in Donovan's Analysis
- Tough choices on August 13, 2025 for those born under Aquarius? Consider the advantages and disadvantages to gain guidance
