Increase in vulnerable children attending school, latest DfE figures show
Fiona Simpson
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
More vulnerable children attended school in the ten days before May half-term than at any point during the lockdown period, new government figures show.
The Department for Education’s latest school attendance figures show that every day between Tuesday 12 May and Friday 22 May at least 70,000 children classed as “in need” or with an education health and care (EHC) plan attended school.
The highest figure was reported on Wednesday 20 May when 79,000 vulnerable children attended school. This accounts for just over 15 per cent of all children classed as “in need” and those with an EHC plan, the DfE said.
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The figure shows an increase of 18,000 vulnerable children compared with 23 March when schools closed and 61,000 pupils attended. It dropped to 29,000 in the week before the Easter holidays. Figures fell as low as 11,000 during the two-week break despite schools remaining open.
Attendance at both special schools and alternative education provision (AP) was higher than in mainstream school in the last week of half term, the data shows.
Around eight per cent of students enrolled in special schools, including residential special schools, attended a setting on 21 May compared with 2.6 per cent of pupils overall.
Attendance in APs was also higher than overall attendance on 21 May, standing at between six per cent and 10 per cent, DfE said.
On 21 May, 224,000 children attended settings representing 2.6 per cent of those who would usually attend.
This is down from 330,000 children when schools closed in March.
Some 173,000 children of key workers attended school on 21 May compared with 330,000 on 23 March, the figures show.
On April 16, the DfE began collating separate attendance figures for early years settings.
These figures show that on 21 May, 36 per cent of settings remained open compared with 32 per cent of settings on 16 April.
According to the DfE, 56 per cent of settings are closed with 5,000 classed as “status unknown”.
The number of vulnerable children attending early years settings over the same time period has doubled from 6,000 to 12,000, the figures show.
Overall, on 21 May, 88,000 children attended early years settings up from 65,000 on 16 April. Of these, 76,000 were children of key workers compared with 59,000 on 16 April.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association added: “The increased take up from critical workers and families with vulnerable children shows there is a clear need for childcare and early education places. Nurseries across the UK have been a fourth emergency service, working to stay open and provide this childcare where they can.
“We know that high quality care and early learning is vital for all children but especially those who are classed as vulnerable. Nurseries and childcare providers offer a nurturing space for them to learn, grow and develop. Although uptake has doubled, these figures estimate that this is still only 12 per cent of those vulnerable children who are able to attend. This reflects the upheaval and challenges families and providers have faced and means that many children have been missing out on important learning opportunities.
“As providers look to open their doors to more children from next week we are calling on the government to bring forward a transformation and recovery fund for the sector. This will help providers with the adjustments needed to keep children safe as they return to settings and ensure they are sustainable while there are fewer children attending than before the coronavirus pandemic.”
The figures come as schools prepare to reopen to more pupils on 1 June despite a backlash from some local authorities and teaching unions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Sunday that schools and nurseries are “on track” to reopen to early years pupils and those in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
Secondary schools will reopen to students in Years 10 and 12 from 15 June with “around a quarter” of eligible pupils attending at one time, Johnson added.
However, he also admitted that “some schools may not be able to reopen immediately, and committed the government to continuing to work with the sector to ensure any schools experiencing difficulties are able to open as soon as possible”.
