Being proposed is widespread fining of families where their children are absent from school.
Currently the use of fines varies across council areas. While some local authorities issued no fines in 2020/21, others issued more than 1,500, according to DfE figures.
Ministers want the measures to be taken to tackle an increase in persistent absenteeism not related to Covid, which rose from 454,167 in 2019 to 501,642 in autumn 2020.
Also being planned, in a consultation launched this week by the government, is for all schools to have “robust policies” around attendance. This includes how they plan to provide targeted support for pupils who are persistently absent.
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