Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department issues guidance to schools on ensuring that children who refuse to attend school are (a) set work and (b) provided resources to enable them to continue to learn.

Ensuring that children are in school is a top priority for the government. The government’s vision for improving school attendance is for pupils, parents, schools, local authorities, and other partners to work together to prevent patterns of absence from developing. Where patterns of absence exist already, intervention should be early to understand the barriers to attendance so the right support can be provided to overcome them as quickly as possible.

The ’Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance is becoming statutory in August 2024. This makes clear that schools are expected to take a ‘support first’ approach and work with pupils and their parents to understand and address the reasons for absence, including any in-school barriers to attendance. More information is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1099677/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance.pdf.

There should only be limited circumstances where a pupil is unable to attend school but is able and well enough to continue their education remotely. Remote education should not be considered an equal alternative to school attendance, and providing remote education during a pupil's absence does not reduce the importance of bringing that absence to an end as soon as possible. The department has published non statutory guidance to schools on providing high quality remote education in cases where it is not possible, or contrary to government guidance, for some or all pupils to attend school, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools.

If a school believes they can no longer support the child’s needs, the local authority should arrange alternative provision. This provision should offer suitable education and targeted support to help the child overcome their barriers to learning, and to reengage back into mainstream schooling. Guidance on education for children with health needs who cannot attend school is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-for-children-with-health-needs-who-cannot-attend-school.