Kate Hawkesby: School truancy; I hope we haven't let it get too bad for too long

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Feb 15, 2023 · 2m

So today we get an announcement on truancy and how to combat it, given the woeful stats on the numbers of kids not attending school.

The rumour is that attendance officers are coming back.

If that’s the case, I hope it helps, but I wonder how much truancy is now an attitude that’s endemic, versus something we can just catch out with more surveillance.

Because I don’t doubt that up until now schools have been trying their best to keep kids engaged. Many have come up with community based solutions or student led solutions, which have worked a treat. Some have tried to crack down on attendance…