If you work in education, what do you think is causing the current attendance issues?

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I’ve read quite a lot on this recently. DD1 is 10, she’s always been reluctant to go to school. She had a spate of UTIs, stomach aches, headaches etc. She’s had a bit of time off sick but we only triggered the attendance letter recently as it went below a certain threshold. DH and I have always done our best to get her into school, being reassured that she’s ‘been fine all day’ by her teachers. It all came to a head this year (yr 5) after a complete meltdown, several anxiety attacks and refusal to leave the house. She’s now on a reduced timetable at school and on the waiting list for an ASD assessment.
Academically she’s ahead but just can’t seem to cope with the school environment.

I’m just wondering what those who work in education think the issues are. Am I just a terrible parent? Although I’m not sure what else I could do. I suspect a complete lack of funding in education has had the biggest impact on schools and students. Especially those with SEN.

I think this statement sums this issue up:

“We are trying to fit all the pegs into square holes and that's fine for the square pegs” @sashh

It is an excellent metaphor for what is so wrong with the education system today.

Couple this with what happened during lockdowns, boring, dry, highly pressured curriculum, the COL crisis, the lack of ‘subcultures’ and freedoms for youngsters and the way the our world has changed since school was first invented…

I think this statement sums this issue up:

“We are trying to fit all the pegs into square holes and that's fine for the square pegs” @sashh

It is an excellent metaphor for what is so wrong with the education system today.

When you say “WE” do you mean the powers to be?

I am sick and tired of political parties interfering with Education to further their own agenda. And that applies to both main parties.

The lie that all kids should be educated together and achieve the same. The lie that you only need aspiration without funding. They are as bad as each other.

DS had near-perfect attendance during his school career. DD is a different matter since Yr 10 when she was subject to some severe bullying. Although the school tried to support her, her attendance just hasn't been great since. She moved to a different school for sixth form but didn't want the 'issue' to follow her so has not been keen for me to share her ongoing anxiety issues with her teachers.

To be fair to her, if she doesn't go in, she does do schoolwork.

I am not happy about her attendance shortfall but understand that some days it's just too much for her to go in. Also, since the pandemic, she's not been as robust physical health-wise as previously. She does seem to pick up nasty viruses more easily nowadays. So that's something else to factor in.

All of those schools could have come under one administrative team but each had different ks and age groups. A lot of schools are now an amalgamation of different schools building anyway. Why not contain certain years within certain areas. You can put in the science labs, music rooms. Money. Money money. I hate to say it but smaller, read more contained, and money is a huge answer.

Would you increase pay to what a first class candidate could achieve in another area of work?
As it is already a struggle to get teachers, what else would you offer if you raised the bar?
I agree with you that teaching should be more valued but I am not sure how to achieve that.

@Fliopen in relation to home education, and thinking of my middle DD, who is just about coping currently (y2), how do parents facilitate this when they work? Genuinely. I "only" work 4 days a week, but long hrs, and have 3 kids. I feel like I just keep my head above water, but I don't see how on earth I would have the headspace or time to home school - thinking, planning, gathering resources. How do working parents do it, on a practical day to day basis?

Not here to comment on current education and school failings but seeing the issues your DD has - please look into ADHD, not just ASD in girls as we are very good at masking.

There are ways to try help the sensory overwhelm that can ramp up the anxiety , like Loop Engage ear plugs will dampen down the noisy classroom/corridors but will allow her to hear. Sensory first aid until she can be seen by CAHMs… best of luck.

@Welshcheddar As far as I can tell, teaching is relatively well paid for humanities graduates. Different for those who did STEM I suppose. Yes, teachers should have better financial conditions - better pay, increases, pensions and security. They should not be working unpaid hours, which many seem to do. Incentives could be financial, job security, pension.

Not really, especially not for the hours that have to be put in. Teaching also struggles in comparison with some other jobs because it inherently has to be done at set times in set locations, which is increasingly unattractive. We aren't paying enough to avert a recruitment crisis even without a 1st class degree requirement, so it would have to be a pretty enormous increase.

Then we need to find out why so many children are autistic. We could build all these sensory schools but they will eventually have to go out into the world around them and earn money. We can’t make the world sensory. What then? I don’t have an answer I just find it all deeply worrying in terms of what the workforce will be in 15 odd years.

@TrashedSofa I'm not in London, so the humanities graduates I know were looking at museum work, marketing or customer service amongst other things - none of which are well paid or hugely attractive to them. I can see the issues with recruitment crisis and the need to attract as many as possible.

They always were, but even 10, 15, 20 years ago those who would be described as "high functioning" (terrible term) went undiagnosed and suffered terribly.

I was at secondary school in the early 00s and was only diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. I'd had no idea and my teachers would hwvr scoffed because I achieved academically. But I suffered dreadfully at school, it was a horrible environment for me.

My grandson has 12 In his class. Essex village school. 90 kids from reception to year 6

Is that a state school? With 1 teacher full time for those 12? This is very unusual. Schools are funded based on headcount so its generally not possible for a school to survive well under headcount for long. Usually in a case like this the teacher would be shared with another year group to create a full class of 30.

Schools with numbers between 20 & 28 in a class often can't afford TAs.

I find comments about low calibre people going into teaching offensive. I am vastly over qualified for the role which is infantilising.

Not strictly true. Pan is important too. If classrooms are small, that’s all you can have in them. Especially in EYFS and KS1

If you need two full time incomes to survive it's a massive barrier to home education, that's the honest truth. We are only able to do it because I'm self employed so am able to work part-time, in hours that suit me (I work a lot of evenings), and because DH is a higher earner. I recognise that's privileged and not accessible to everyone, but that's how we do it. I certainly could not do it and work full time, it wouldn't be feasible.

Honestly don’t think a lot of British kids respect the education they receive perhaps because it’s ‘free’ and it’s just a given they’ll receive it no matter what. They all need to be taught it isn’t a given in many countries and some kids would kill to have the education they get, they’re very fortunate indeed.

I’m a uni lecturer and it expands well into university level. A lot of students don’t turn up regularly, don’t get involved in seminars because they probably haven’t read the fucking texts and yeah, don’t actually read. Total disregard for the education system even as paying adults.

Of course adults can adapt their working lives to suit them.

A child with sensory issues might struggle working in McDonalds but might thrive working as a tree surgeon.

Why do you find that so worrying?

Sorry @AuroraCake Getting a degree is always an achievement. I just think that, since teachers specialise in academic achievement, they should also excel in it themselves. Also, that teaching isn't just a job and that people should actively choose it, rather than fall into it. That is only my opinion and I may be wrong.

I simply don’t think that schools are so radically different to even 10 years ago that it explains the astronomical rise in school avoidance and disruptive behaviour, as well as the skyrocketing rates of diagnoses. I don’t think there’s 1 culprit, the issue is too big and severe for that.

And lots, me included, do.

I totally agree with you on this to be honest.

My son was out of school due to undiagnosed SEN for a number of years. He ended up self teaching GCSEs and is now in mainstream 6th form. He has a far greater work ethic than many of his 'schooled' and is self motivated. Having struggled with education he now values it more.

I don't really know what the answer is to this. It is shocking that people don't bother to put in full effort at university when it costs them so much.

Because if they can’t cope with school it’s more than likely they won’t be able to cope with 80% of jobs. That is worrying. You can’t be overly selective about your job, you have to earn money and support yourself. Of course getting a job that suits you and you enjoy is ideal but how many have that?

I actually know quite a few kids now on apprenticeships; with the price of university they are definitely becoming more popular. It maybe helps that I live in the midlands so Rolls Royce, Bentley etc. on our doorstep.

Have pm'd you.