Figures released as part of a new campaign to get thousands of "persistently absent" schoolchildren back into the classroom highlight how more than 30,000 pupils missed school regularly across the North East last year.
The data, held by the Department for Education, has been shared by the "Class of 10,000" campaign, which is being launched by the Minerva Virtual Academy along with charities Square Peg and Not Fine in School. The campaign is seeking to highlight how online education can help those currently missing out.
According to the figures, in 2021/2022, there were 5,162 pupils persistently absent in Newcastle, 3,433 in Gateshead, 5,373 in Northumberland, 5,049 in Sunderland, 8,896 in County Durham, 3,105 in North Tyneside and 2,385 in South Tyneside. Each of the seven authorities saw a huge jump in this figure compared to 2020/2021 - when remote learning was the norm during the pandemic.
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Across the seven, there was a leap of more than 10,000 pupils. The amount in fines collected by authorities for truancy varies widely, too. In County Durham, more than £43,400 was collected, though the next most was £9,360 in North Tyneside - and there was just £2,100 in fines in Northumberland.
Hugh Viney founded the MVA during the Covid-19 pandemic. And he 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. 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. Homeschooling during the pandemic highlighted this issue."
He said this had driven the new campaign, and said he wanted to use online schooling to help 10,000 children back into education. Mr Viney said the Government should no longer just see online education as "a stop-gap".
The Department for Education recently issued new guidance on suggesting remote learning "should not be viewed as an equal alternative to attendance in school" and should only be considered a "last resort".
But Dr Beth Bodycote at Not Fine In School said: "Our education system has remained largely unchanged for decades despite the significant differences that we have seen in just one generation – in technology, politics, social justice, and more.
"The statistics on school absences shows the current system simply isn’t working for increasing numbers of children, their families, school leaders or teaching staff. We need to have a grown up conversation about how we address these issues, and what part alternative provisions to ‘mainstream’ schools can play."
Ellie Costello, director of Square Peg said: "The Government’s solution to attendance barriers that children and their families face is to criminalise parents. This does not solve the problems or remove the causes of the barriers. We know that the most vulnerable families are at risk from these cruel and discriminatory punitive measures, with research showing such prosecutions are a “gendered offence” with mothers disproportionately affected."
The DfE updated its guidance on remote learning in February this year. It now reads: "Attendance is essential for pupils to get the most out of their school experience, including for their attainment, wellbeing, and wider life chances. Remote education should not be viewed as an equal alternative to attendance in school.
"For this reason we expect schools to consider it only as a last resort when the alternative would be no education, and only after it has been established that the pupil is, or will be, absent from school. In such cases, remote education can have the benefit of allowing absent pupils to keep on track with their education and stay connected to their teachers and peers."
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