Labour pushes bill to tackle persistent school absenteeism

Opposition day motion seeks to create a council-maintained register of children in England not on the school roll

Labour is planning to use an opposition day debate motion to bring forward legislation for a new register of children who are not in school as part of plans to tackle persistent absenteeism.

New Labour analysis found that one in three children currently sitting their GCSEs have missed nearly three months of secondary school since the pandemic" and said this was likely to affect academic attainment.