Welcome back – attendance and the importance of the first week of term
Welcome back! I hope you had a relaxing and well-deserved rest. As you prepare for the new term, I want to emphasise the importance of getting all children in school and ready to learn, every day. In The Big Ask, the largest survey ever of children in England, children told me that getting a good […]
Using school attendance data proactively rather than reactively
My Attendance Audit so far has included surveying all local authorities, carrying out a deep-dive in 10 local authorities to get to the root of school absence and a detailed investigation of the daily attendance patterns in autumn 2021. My report based on the deep-dive of local authorities, ‘Voices of England’s missing children’ found that […]
The importance of the first week back at school – a guide for attendance officers
In ‘The Big Ask’, the largest ever survey of children in England, which I launched last year, children were clear that they like school, and that getting a good education is really important to them. Vulnerable children, such as those with SEND or those with a social worker were even more likely than their peers […]
How speaking to parents and carers about their children’s attendance illustrates the interconnectedness of family life
As work continues on the Family Review, we are again reflecting on our recent Attendance Audit. This project was a series of deep dives in 10 local authorities to understand the experiences of children who are not attending school or are out of education altogether. In the Audit, the office has heard how children’s family […]
As the summer half term starts, the Children’s Commissioner shares deep dive into The Big Ask findings on attendance
Welcome back! It’s the beginning of a new half-term and, arguably, one of the most important. For many children this will be the last half-term with friends before secondary school, further education, or higher education. It’s a time for revision, exams, and preparing a fun summer ahead. For teachers, and all professionals working to support […]
What our attendance work tells us about children and their families
As work progresses on our Family Review, the voices of many of the children we have been speaking to as part of our attendance work exemplify how children’s families are central to their lives. When talking to children about their school attendance, what becomes very clear is that children do not exist as individuals, they […]
Talking about Attendance
Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England visited Newman Catholic College in North London to talk to a group of pupils who have had difficulties with attendance in the past and who have started tackling being in school with the help of the school and it’s staff. She discusses what the problems were, what […]
Children’s Commissioner presents initial findings of Attendance Audit to Attendance Action Alliance
My first task as Children’s Commissioner was to listen to England’s children as we emerged from the Covid pandemic, to hear their views about life today and their aspirations for the future. The Big Ask was the largest ever consultation with children, with over half a million children responding. They told me that they liked […]
Where are England’s Children? Interim findings from the Children’s Commissioner’s Attendance Audit
To investigate where children across the country that may be missing out on education are, we have surveyed all 151 English LA’s. This report shares our interim findings.
Dame Rachel de Souza DBE outlines why school attendance is not just vital for helping children recover from the pandemic, it’s what they said they wanted in The Big Ask survey
Today, I want to do two things. First – to celebrate the great national achievement that has seen school corridors and classrooms return to something like normality this term. This is something teachers, parents, pupils and all those involved in the vaccination programme should be truly proud of. Secondly, I want to recognise that attendance […]
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the Milburn review of young people and work
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: “Young people want a good job and that should be our starting point. I’ve heard from hundreds of thousands of children – they are ambitious, they want to do well, they want to work. I’m pleased their voices and their ambition have been included in this review. “Young […]
The Children’s Wellbeing and School Act passes into law
As Children’s Commissioner for England, my goal is to make sure every child grows up safe, happy, healthy, and with the best possible chances in life. Across my work I have heard from a million children about what they need to thrive. The passing of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act represents a significant moment. It brings together reforms across safeguarding, schools, children’s […]
Archived Content
What’s it like to be a child growing up with HIV?
There are 801 children living with HIV in the UK. The charity Children’s HIV association (CHIVA) works to ensure young people living with HIV have the knowledge, skills and support needed to live well and to achieve their greatest potential. To mark World AIDS Day on December 1st, we spoke to members of CHIVA’S youth committee about […]
Growing up North: Creating better outcomes for children and young people
Author: Cllr Judith Blake, Leeds City Council Our ambition is for Leeds to be the best city for children and young people to grow up in – a crucial element of Leeds City Council’s work to become the best city in the UK by 2030. Child Friendly Leeds is the thread that brings together all […]
Shining a light on the experiences of children excluded from schools and in alternative provision
My ‘Children’s Voices’ report looks at findings from an evidence review of the views, perspectives and experiences of children who have been or at risk of being excluded from school and children in alternative provision.
Letter from Anne Longfield to Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England
Over the last year, the issue most often raised with me has been children’s mental health, and it was the top of the list in my consultation with children about my priorities for this year.