Almost a quarter of Bristol pupils regularly absent, Ofsted warns

Almost a quarter of children in Bristol are constantly absent from school, according to Ofsted.

Figures released Thursday reveal that 23.5% of students miss at least 10% of class hours, which experts say is a legacy of Covid lockdowns.

Ofsted’s regional director for the South West said the rise in the number of children suffering from mental health problems was also a factor in the large number of pupils regularly absent from school.

James McNeillie warned that persistent absence deprives children not only of a good education, but also of the opportunity to develop social skills.

Bristol has the sixth highest persistent absence rate in the country.

This year’s figure of 23.5% is down from last year’s figure of 27.4%.

Nationally, the average number of children missing a day every fortnight or more was 19% during the past school year.

Before the pandemic, in 2018/2019, this figure was only 11%.

The figures for Somerset and North Somerset were also above average, at 21% and 20% respectively in the past academic year.

Speaking to BBC West, Mr McNeillie said lockdowns had undermined the “sense of the social contract” that children should go to school every day they are well enough to do so.

“Not being in school means they don’t have access to good quality education,” he said.

“The other thing they lack is personal development: their ability to socialize, make friends, understand how to work with people and build resilience.”

Mr McNeillie added that regular absences lead to “increased vulnerability” as teachers are unable to look after children’s wellbeing.

He said multi-partnership working between schools, parents and health and social care professionals was the best way to get children back to school, but many local authorities were struggling to meet the request.

The increase in the number of children diagnosed with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was also creating a problem for schools who often did not have the resources to support them.

Elsewhere in the region, it has emerged that parts of Somerset are experiencing a serious shortage of early years care places, such as nurseries and childminders.

There were on average just 20.2 full-time places in regulated settings per 100 eligible children, compared with 30 and 31 places in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

The fact that Somerset is so rural makes it difficult for providers to set up in the right locations, Mr McNeillie said.

They also find it difficult to recruit and retrain quality staff.

“We know that the best start in life for children is to be safe, to be happy and to have a truly positive learning and development experience,” he said.

Heather Shearer, Somerset Council’s lead member for children, families and education, said the council was working hard to try to create childcare places.

“We want to try to target our efforts in areas where we know there is a need,” she said.

The council helps primary schools open nursery classes under the government’s school nursery program and offers capital grants to private providers.

“It may be a cliché, but children are our future,” Ms Shearer said.