Yahoo Movies Parents see schools as a ‘pick-and-choose’ exercise since lockdown, says Ofsted chief
Parents see school as a “pick-and-choose” exercise post lockdown, Ofsted’s chief inspector has said.
Amanda Spielman’s annual report found that the “remarkable flexibility” shown by many schools in England during the pandemic and remote learning may have had “unintended consequences”, including the idea that parents can “pick and choose” when children attend school and which rules they obey.
She said: “The idea that school can be a pick-and-choose exercise needs to be debunked. The benefits of school go well beyond specific lessons and exam results.
“Only through full participation can children get all the benefits – of social skills, confidence and resilience as well as academic achievement. School is a package deal that cannot be entirely personalised to every child or parent’s preferences.”
The Ofsted chief cited a rise in pupils missing school as well as parents being increasingly willing to challenge uniform and discipline codes as evidence of a continued breakdown in the “social contract” between parents and schools.
The latest data from the Department for Education shows that for the academic year so far, around one pupil in 46 has been recorded as absent for unauthorised reasons.
The rate of unauthorised absences has been higher in every week of the school year so far compared to last year, despite a plea from Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, for children to return to their classrooms.
‘Less respect’ for full-time education
Ms Spielman pointed to evidence that middle-class families are now prepared to take children out of school for holidays during term time, marking a shift in attitudes post pandemic.
She said: “Absence is particularly noticeable in secondary schools, but it is a problem for all year groups, all ages, in all demographics and for children with and without special needs.
“Across society, there is less respect for the principle of a full-time education.”
She said that schools are facing “greater hostility” from parents. “It’s clear that there’s more friction between schools and parents who are increasingly willing to challenge school rules,” she said.
“Schools set rules and codes for a reason. They don’t just casually say we’ll make life difficult for everybody. They’re trying to build a culture, they’re trying to bring children together and create cohesion.
“And it’s important that parents understand that and the more requests for exceptions, or opt outs there are, the harder it is for schools to build that unity, that cohesion, and peer respect among pupils.”
Ofsted recorded a rise of almost 25 per cent in complaints about schools in the last academic year to 14,900. However, Ms Spielman said the number of warranted complaints had not risen.
Parents ‘less willing to support schools’
Ms Spielman said: “I think this comes back to what I said about the social contract, about parents being a little bit less willing to support schools and a bit more willing to find fault.
“And of course, there’s no question that there are more children at the moment who are anxious, who’ve got various kinds of problems resulting from delayed socialisation or teaching that they didn’t get during Covid. There are more demands at the moment on education, of all kinds.”
Ofsted inspections have found that schools are breaking Department for Education guidance by increasingly using part-time timetables, which should only be used in exceptional circumstances.
Ms Spielman said schools are using them for medical reasons while waiting for child and adolescent mental health service assessments because of “school refusal” or “emotionally based school avoidance” or due to a pupil’s Send [special educational needs and disabilities].”
She said that part-time timetables should not be used as a sanction for poor behaviour, and only ever on a strictly temporary basis.
Head teachers given ‘too much leeway’
The chief inspector, who is due to leave the inspectorate in December, said head teachers are given too much leeway to decide policies, which can leave schools “in an increasingly tricky position, where a routine decision can lead to prolonged public debate”.
More Government guidance on issues from uniform to the handling of transgender issues would ensure the treatment of children is more consistent, she suggested.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “There has indeed been a troubling shift in pupil behaviour, attendance and attitudes towards education since the pandemic, and parents are increasingly willing to challenge school rules themselves.”
He said that Government guidance “should provide parameters within which school leaders then make decisions based on their professional judgement and the relevant circumstances”.
Responding to the Ofsted report, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said that making sure every child is in school every day is her “number one priority”.
She said: “We’re making progress, with 380,000 fewer children persistently absent compared to last year. This is thanks to the hard work of our fantastic teachers and school leaders, who we are supporting through our attendance hubs and mentoring programmes.”
