EDUCATION outcomes for all children across Barnsley has been deemed ‘insufficient’ - owing to the town’s soaring rates of persistent absence, suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Council bosses met last week to discuss the local authority’s ‘strategic risk register’, which includes school performance and delved into attainment levels achieved from youngsters’ SATs to their GCSEs.
A risk assessment is set to be carried out by council leaders alongside schools and multi-academy trusts in a bid to raise outcomes due to the findings, and in particular disadvantaged kids’ below-average grades, mainly owing to absences.
Figures from the Department for Education show the rate of pupils absent from at least half of possible lessons in Barnsley was 2.9 per cent in the 2023/24 academic year - up from 2.6 per cent the year before.
It was the highest rate of ‘severely absent’ pupils since the area’s records began in the 2006/07 academic year.
The suspension rate for pupils in schools across Barnsley hit the highest level on record, with 10.6 suspensions per 100 pupils in the 2023/24 autumn term.
This was up from 7.4 per 100 pupils the year before and was the highest on record.
In the 2019/20 autumn term, before the Covid-19 pandemic, the suspension rate was just 3.5 per 100 pupils.
The figures also showed the number of permanent exclusions nationally rose by more than a third in the last year, with 4,168 handed out, including 50 in Barnsley.
A council report said: “(We will) undertake a risk assessment of schools to provide assurance that measures are in place to enable pupils to sustain positive progress in their educational outcomes, in partnership with schools and academy trusts.
“Results have been analysed through the Barnsley Schools’ Alliance, resulting in prioritisation and focused work to address areas for improvement.
“A predominant factor is the high number of children not attending full-time, school-based education with too many children persistently absent, suspended or excluded from school.
“Educational outcomes will be adversely impacted if children are not attending and engaging in learning.
“Rates of persistent absence, suspensions, exclusions and elective home education are high, and this is a factor in all children being supported to reach their full potential.
“Work is already underway on the priority areas and there has been a reduction in the number of suspension and exclusions.”
Attainment in Key Stage Two - or year six - has worsened, with 61 per cent of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths by the time they reach high school, down from 66 per cent in 2018/19.
By Key Stage Four when full-time, mandatory education finishes, 61.8 per cent of pupils hit a standard pass rate, lower than the national average but better than Barnsley’s neighbours.
The council reiterated its determination to boosting attendance records.
“We work in partnership with schools and multi-academy trusts to ensure that children are in school every day through improved attendance and a reduction in the use of exclusions and suspensions and fewer families choosing elective home education for their children,” the report added.
The ‘Every Child in School Every Day’ plan is finalised and work is already underway on the priority areas.
“There has been a reduction in the number of suspension and exclusions when compared with this time last year including in an overall improvement in attendance.”
