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Concern: Shelia Gunn
Worries: Nasim Ali |
Primary split on two-weeks-and-you're-out rule
CHILDREN who miss two weeks of lessons could be kicked out
of a Regent’s Park primary school in a new crackdown on
poor attendance.
The New Journal has learned that a “two-weeks-and-you’re-out”
rule has been discussed for the first time at Netley School
in William Road.
Governors are currently split on whether the measure would dent
truancy levels and discourage parents from booking term-time
holidays.
Some members of the governing body feel stricter rules would
improve attendance.
Others feel the strategy could have a reverse effect and leave
pupils struggling to turn their fortunes around without a school
place to help them.
Parents met last Tuesday to discuss the proposals and agreed
to look at whether the new rules could be imposed. Labour councillor
Nasim Ali is one of the dissenters among the school’s governors.
He said: “They were saying: ‘Miss two weeks and the
pupil will be taken off roll.’ I didn’t agree with
that and said that children could be left without a school place.
That can’t be a good thing. In the end, we agreed to see
what other schools are doing.”
A council press official said schools currently could send out
warnings if parents take their pupils away without permission
for two weeks. If the pupil did not turn up for a further two
weeks then stronger action can be taken.”
The discussion at Netley, which was told to improve standards
by government inspectors last October, came against the backdrop
of a fresh debate at the Town Hall over how well Camden copes
with truancy.
In the latest round of political warfare ahead of next month’s
council elections, Conservative councillor Sheila Gunn, the
party’s education spokeswoman, said: “Camden’s
record has improved very slightly from being the worst out of
all inner London boroughs to being the second lowest. Hardly
a record to be proud of. Camden Conservatives believe that issues
such as parents taking their children on holiday during term
or for religious holidays should be left to heads and governing
bodies to handle.”
Labour’s education chief Councillor Lucy Anderson said
that the Tories had got it all wrong about allowing governors
to handle the issue.
She said: “The whole point is to get a consistent approach.
We do have to do better but our improvement in Camden has been
steady.” |
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