Inverclyde schools have high number of persistent absentees

At a recent meeting of Inverclyde Council's education and communities committee, council officers and councillors discussed the local authority's attendance strategy for 2024-26. 

The report reveals that 33.7 per cent of pupils missed 10 per cent or more sessions in the 2022/23 academic year - higher than the Scottish figure of 32.5 per cent. 

In primary schools, it's at 26.2 per cent, secondary schools recorded 42.3 per cent, and 42.1 per cent persistent absence was recorded in additional support needs schools. 

The strategy report states: "There is a system-wide concern about reduced levels of attendance in educational establishments since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"Improving attendance and understanding the issues around attendance is a priority for all relevant parties across Inverclyde as a community."

(Image: Newsquest) Councillor David Wilson said he found the report 'a wee bit depressing'. 

He added: "For some reason, too many pupils don't want to come to our schools. 

"As councillors here in Inverclyde, we've done our bit. 

"We've provided a school estate that’s second to none.

"The schools are really modern and the conditions under which the young people can learn are quite excellent. 

"The Scottish Government has done its bit and come up with a very good payment settlement for teachers. 

"We now have 504 staff receiving more than £50,000, and I think we should be paying the teachers well. 

"We have motivated staff and excellent buildings. 

"What more can we do to make schools more attractive to mean that pupils will want to come into school rather than staying at home? 

"I want to see an improvement."

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Inverclyde Council's head of education Michael Roach pointed to four key areas which will be the focus of the strategy - developing policy; actively involving children and young people to improve attendance; effective use of data; and effective interventions.

He added: "There is a huge amount of work going on in secondary schools in terms of the tracking of attendance through a period-by-period, day-to-day, and week-to-week approach.

"It's very hard to decipher what more you could do in that regard. 

"There's also a huge amount of work being done in relation to 'pull to school'; ensuring the curriculum is fit for purpose for all young people, and coming up with bespoke pathways to meet the needs of young people.

"The attendance strategy outlines exactly what we're doing about the attendance figures."

(Image: Newsquest) Ruth Binks, corporate director of education, communities and organisational development, highlighted the direct link between attendance and poverty and said Inverclyde would expect to be below the national average in terms of attendance. 

She added: "When we look at trends, this is a national issue. 

"Schools can't do this alone and need to work in partnership with wider services."

Committee convener Councillor Jim Clocherty spoke about the 'multi-faceted nature of family in Inverclyde and the ingrained, generational issues' experienced by some families. 

Councillor Francesca Brennan said: "It has to be a tandem approach, 'pull to school' and engagement while young people are at school. 

"We have to make sure we’re doing everything we can. 

"We know why it's important for young people to be at school and we need young people to be there getting the benefit of it.

"We need to do something that speaks to parents and young people about importance of attendance. 

"There should be no stigma attached to parents who are doing everything they can to get young people to school are managing against a landscape of very complex challenges."