The review considered attendance at school - the reasons and patterns of absence - as well as the support services that are available to encourage pupils to attend.

It also considered how the council and partner agencies ensure that children and young people do not become educationally excluded and socially unsupported and what policies and procedures need to be put in place to improve relevant services.

Read the final report of the School atttendance and support review [PDF 587KB] pdf logo .

Meetings:

28 July 2008

Members discussed the recommendations in the final report and agreed to convene an additional select committee to consider early intervention taken by schools to resolve absence issues, and to examine best practice.

7 July 2008

Members heard from the Nottinghamshire Youth Offending Service on links between school absence and exclusion, and anti-social behaviour and from the Police Liason Officer on the vulnerability of young people who are absent, or excluded from school, and how they can also become victims of crime.

Members of the select committee also heard how the county council's Youth Services supports young people who are excluded from school, how Joint Access Teams co-ordinate support for pupils at risk of exclusion, and how the Family Intervention Project works to reduce anti-social behaviour in families.

Read the minutes of the 7 July meeting [44.1KB] pdf logo

2 June 2008

Members heard from Kate Bell, Regional Behaviour & Attendance advisor from the department for children, schools and families about the latest government targets for school attendance. She also explained the work that she does with local education authorities - including Nottinghamshire - to improve behaviour and attendance, particularly persistent absence.

The committee also heard from Dawn Morgan from the Queen Elizabeth School in Mansfield and Kay Archer, deputy headteacher at the Valley school in Worksop, on how behaviour and attendance has improved at the two schools.

Read the minutes of the 2 June meeting [35.5KB] pdf logo

28 April 2008

The select committee were shown the latest data for exclusions in Nottinghamshire schools and some of the reasons for exclusion. Read the minutes of the 28 April meeting [PDF 25.9KB] pdf logo .

7 April 2008

The select committee were introduced to the latest school attendance and enforcement action data by Rob Lancaster (Head of Education Otherwise Than At School) and Brian Isham (Principal Education Welfare Officer). Read the minutes of the 7 April meeting [PDF 39.2KB] pdf logo .

Nine County Councillors made up the School attendance and support select committee:

  • Edward Llewellyn-Jones (Chair)
  • Brian Wombwell (Vice Chair)
  • John Carter
  • Sybil Fielding
  • Albert Haynes
  • Pat Lally
  • Philip Owen
  • Martin Suthers
  • Lynn Sykes

There were also four statutory co-opted members.

  • Mr E Hayes (Diocese of Nottingham)
  • Mr D Richards (Diocese of Southall)
  • Mrs L Wooding (Parent Governor)
  • Vacancy (Parent Governor)

For further information about this review contact Helen Lee, the lead scrutiny officer e-mail: helen.lee@nottscc.gov.uk