HEREFORDSHIRE Council has picked up thousands of pounds in truancy fines due to school pupils who have been persistently absent.

Over the past three years, over £31,000 was accumulated for non-attendance, with over half of that total (£16,140) for 2021/22. 

In total, 2,735 pupils were absent during this period, a rise of 2,641 on the previous year. However, this appears to be an anomaly, possibly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The figures for 2019/20 are not published because the Department for Education (DfE) cancelled the census in 2020 due to the pandemic. 

However, campaigners say solutions to help children classed as ‘persistently absent’ to get back into education are readily available if local authorities were willing to make use of them.

Online school, Minerva’s Virtual Academy (MVA), has launched the Class of 10,000 campaign, which aims to get 10,000 children currently missing out on full time education back into learning.

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The school has teamed up with not-for-profit organisations Square Peg and Not Fine in School to highlight some of the issues which are keeping young people out of the classroom and highlight the solutions available.

Hugh Viney, who founded MVA during the pandemic, said the shutdown of schools over the period had brought many issues faced by children into sharp focus.

“There are 1.67 million children and young people who are facing barriers to attendance at school, with reasons ranging from anxiety and mental health difficulties, through to complex additional needs,” he said.

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“Mainstream schools aren’t suitable for every pupil. Many young people thrive in a traditional school environment but, for a significant proportion, a bricks and mortar setting simply cannot meet their needs.

"There are many reasons why pupils may not feel able to attend  school, not least because of issues around anxiety or low mood. Home schooling during the pandemic highlighted this issue.

“That is what has driven us to start this campaign. We know from experience that online schooling can help many of these children, but the government and many local education authorities are reluctant to go down that route. We want to try and help 10,000 children back into education - that is just 1% of the estimated number of children who are currently missing out.”

The Department for Education recently issued new guidance on remote learning which says it “should not be viewed as an equal alternative to attendance in school” and should only be considered as a “last resort”.

“The government and education authorities should understand that online education is more than just a stop gap for pupils who can’t attend because they have a chronic illness or because they are struggling with mental ill health,” said Mr Viney.

“While it can be used to help rebuild confidence and help young people return to a traditional school, it can also be a viable alternative.”

A spokesperson for Herefordshire Council, said: “We want all children and young people in Herefordshire to have a great start in life and be healthy, safe and inspired to be the best they can be.

"Attending school regularly enables our young people to achieve and excel intellectually, socially and physically. Good attendance improves their chances of fulfilling their potential and prepares them to do well once they move on to college, training or work.

“It’s the law that parents and carers must make sure that their school-age child receives a full-time education that meets their needs but we understand that in some cases parents may need our help to encourage their child to attend school. We urge any parent struggling with their child’s attendance to get in touch with their school in the first instance to discuss the support available to them and their child.”

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