Government focuses on ‘serial truants’
Education Secretary Ruth Kelly is to launch a new offensive against the hardcore of truants that account for the majority of those missing school.
Official statistics suggest that 40,000 youngsters have returned to school since 1997, with the Government claiming that this is down to initiatives set up by ministers to tackle the problem.
Now, Ms Kelly is to unveil a raft of new measures aimed at the one in 13 youngsters considered to be serial truants, who have not returned to class despite £885 million of Government money being put into various schemes.
Measures including parenting contracts, penalty notices and “fast track” prosecution systems are all set to come into force across the country this term, and ministers are hoping the initiatives will have the required impact on the hardcore truants.
But, the Conservatives have dismissed claims that the actual level of school truancy is falling. They say the reduction has actually come through reducing the number of children being allowed time off by schools
Shadow Education Secretary Tim Collins said: “In 1998 Labour promised a one third cut in truancy levels by 2002. The reality has been an increase of a third despite the heroic levels of money spent on headline grabbing initiatives to combat the problem.
“The only area where four Labour Education Secretaries seem to have been able to make a difference has been on authorised absences – anyone can turn down a parental request to go on a skiing trip but it will take firm action to cut back on the persistent hardcore of offenders who refuse to attend school.”
He said that Conservatives would improve the curriculum, especially vocational education, to encourage all children to stay in the classroom.
