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School behaviour and attendance Partnerships. School Attendance NATT residential conference - 20th March 2009 Una Simpson Regional Adviser – Behaviour, Attendance and SEAL. Aims. Provide information about current issues relating to the attendance of Gypsy Roma, Traveller pupils.
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School behaviour and attendance Partnerships School Attendance NATT residential conference - 20th March 2009 Una Simpson Regional Adviser – Behaviour, Attendance and SEAL
Aims • Provide information about current issues relating to the attendance of Gypsy Roma, Traveller pupils. • Opportunity to feedback solutions to improve attendance
DCSF priorities for attendance • Improve levels of overall absence -schools still have to set a target on an annual basis • Reduce levels of persistent absence so that by 2011 no local authority will have more than 5% of pupils with persistent absence in secondary schools. - Children’s Plan goal - LA’s annual national indicator
Current attendance data 2007/8 Overall absence fell to a record 6.29% (6.49% in 2006/7 ) Primary – 5.35% (5.18% in 2006/7 ) Secondary 7.36 %- ( 7.87% in 2006/7) Traveller of Irish Heritage - 23.77% (26%in 2006/7) Gypsy/Roma 19.98% (23%in 2006/7 )
Improving attendance • Raising awareness of issues relating to disproportionate exclusions for pupils who are Gypsy/ Roma / Travellers • Published advice on attendance for parents/carers/schools/local authorities which covers : Legal rights and responsibilities of parents/carers Advice on good practice
Issues to consider There is an expectation that Gypsy /Roma Travellers attend as much as possible – the 200 sessions over the 12 months is a minimum expectation. Parental responsibility needs to be promoted when deciding to travel - this includes notification to schools so the pupils absence can be recorded, monitored and an expected date for return.
Improving attendance • Local authorities should be expecting high levels of attendance • LAs need to act if a parent is failing to regularly educate • Attendance practice needs to support pupils who are missing a suitable education( safeguarding issues).
What can you do ? • Discuss with partner -what you could do to promote attendance? • Write down any solutions you think would support attendance of Gypsy / Roma Travellers if undertaken by ; • DCSF • Local Authorities