Every day, around 400,000 pupils are not in school and persistently absent and excluded pupils tend to do poorly in examinations, be less likely to secure a good job and more likely to become involved in crime.
Local education authorities (LEAs) have a key role in reducing unauthorised absence and exclusion, and improving educational alternatives, but national surveys show performance is patchy. Most LEAs could reduce the time taken to find effective alternative placements for permanently excluded of pupils.
LEAs should use current targets and challenges as a springboard for a detailed review of their work in promoting attendance, preventing exclusion and providing good quality education for those children outside school.
Included in this report:
- The scale of the problem
- Using data to inform strategies
- Working with partners
- Evaluating LEA services
- Minimising time out of education
- Finding effective alternative placements
- Effective outcomes - promoting inclusion
- Recommendations for LEAs