What can schools do about record absences?
Since the pandemic record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Why?
The Briefing Room · BBC Radio 4
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Show Notes
The pandemic disrupted schooling everywhere. But since then record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Data from the Department for Education show that persistent absence - missing roughly seven days a term - is now at a record high. So is this a blip affecting a Covid cohort or a worrying trend toward a breakdown in the social contract between society and school?
David Aaronovitch talks to:
Branwen Jeffreys, BBC’s Education Editor Katie Beynon, Statistician at FFT Education Datalab Sam Freedman, Senior fellow at the Institute for Government Emily Hunt, Associate Director Social Mobility and Vulnerable Learners at the Education Institute Policy
Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Sam Haque and Claire Bowes Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill.