Purpose

To share the Task & Finish Group findings on school attendance in the city, and the factors driving absence, and to support the recommendations for taking a system leadership approach to strengthen city-wide attendance.

Decision

The Children and Young People Policy Committee:

1. 1.      Noted the findings of the School Attendance Task and Finish Group, in particular Bristol's secondary and Key Stage 3 attendance position relative to national and core-city comparators and supports the key measures and approaches as set out in this report.
2. 2.      Noted the continued, coordinated city-wide approach to attendance, building on the Bristol Future Strategy and the Bristol Attendance Campaign, including shared practice, consistent messaging and the voice of the child.
3. 3.      Noted the continued development of multi-agency and community-based responses to mental health and Difficulty Attending School & College due to Anxiety (DASCA) formerly known as Emotionally Based School Avoidance, including scaling effective models such as the North and West Bristol EBSA pathway where evidence supports it.
4. 4.      Noted strengthened oversight, data sharing and safeguarding in relation to Elective Home Education and Children Missing Education, with particular attention to children living in deprivation, those with SEND and from global majority and sanctuary-seeking communities.
5. 5.      Requested that officers report back on progress and impact at an appropriate future point, drawing on the council's improving attendance data and benchmarking.