Ministers to tackle truancy and fund concerns

MINISTERS WILL crack down on truancy, beef up the powers of education watchdogs and reform the funding system in new legislation to create “a school system that works for every child”.

Under the plans, which will form part of the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday, England’s schools will be required to publish an attendance policy and there will be compulsory registers for children who are not in classrooms so the authorities can identify who is not receiving a full-time education.

The measures will ensure pupils benefit from “every possible hour in the classroom”, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said education was “at the very heart of this Government’s agenda”.

“We are determined to raise standards in our schools so every child has access to the same opportunities wherever they live, and our brilliant teachers are supported to do what they do best, which is why we’re putting our education ambition into law this week,” Mr Johnson said.

“By giving every child a good education, we’re giving them the opportunity to thrive so they can reach their full potential and secure the jobs needed, this is absolutely vital to our levelling up mission.”

The Schools Bill will also include plans for schools to join multi-academy trusts (MATs), a proposal which has been resisted by unions, with a strengthened framework giving greater powers to intervene when they are failing. A new funding formula is aimed at distributing cash on a “fair and consistent basis”.

Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the plans did not offer support for children’s pandemic recovery.