Meetings

The Committee considered the petition alongside P-04-606 Ensure schools exercise their statutory powers under regulation 7 of The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 without interference or bias and agreed to close both petitions in light of the fact that the Welsh Government is reviewing school-attendance guidance with a view to issuing a public consultation in future ,and the fact that the Government has previously written to local authorities to reiterate the importance of head teachers being able to apply discretion to requests for absences in term-time.

The Committee considered this petition alongside petition P-04-606 Ensure schools exercise their statutory powers under regulation 7 of The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 without interference or bias and agreed to write to the Minister for Education to:

·         request an update on the review of school attendance policy and an indication of timings for the next steps, including a public consultation; and

·         seek the Governments latest view in relation to the discretion of Headteachers to authorise absences for holidays in term time, when appropriate

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Education and agreed to:

• request additional information from the evaluation of fixed penalty notices for nonattendance, including about the number of fines issued and the sums of money involved; and
• continue to keep a watching brief on the issue and consider the petition again when the revised school attendance framework is published for consultation later in 2019.

Neil McEvoy declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He has received a letter about unauthorised absence from school.

The Committee considered this petition alongside P-04-606 Ensure schools exercise their statutory powers under regulation 7 of The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 without interference or bias, and agreed to await a copy of the evaluation of fixed penalty notices for regular non-attendance at school from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and for a further update on the wider review of attendance policy, as previously agreed.

The Committee considered the petition alongside P-04-606 Ensure schools exercise their statutory powers under regulation 7 of The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 without interference or bias and agreed to await an update from the Cabinet Secretary for Education following the completion of the attendance review later this year, before considering further action on the petition.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to provide the further evidence received to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and ask for further details on the timescale of the planned review and independent evaluation of fixed penalty notices.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education to ask whether any further steps have been taken in relation to this issue in response to the information received from local authorities, since the last correspondence between the Committee and her predecessor in February 2016.

See agreed action under item 3.8

See agreed action under item 3.23.

P-04-576 Allow Children in Wales to Have a Family Holiday During Term Time

P-04-606 Ensure schools exercise their statutory powers under regulation 7 of The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 without interference or bias

The Committee considered the earlier evidence.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to invite the Minister and petitioner to present oral evidence to the Committee with a view to the Committee reporting to the Assembly in due course.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to:

·         The Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee to ask the Committee to consider including the issue raised in this petition and also a petition currently collecting signatures - Ensure schools exercise their statutory powers under regulation 7 of The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 without interference or bias - on their Forward Work Programme;

·         Estyn to ask for clarification on how the issue of attendance is considered within the inspection regime;

·         All Local Authorities asking each one to set out how they interpret the guidance on school attendance; and

·         The Children’s Commissioner to ask for further information on the nature of the concerns raised with his Investigation and Advice Service.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the:

·         Minister for Education and Skills;

·         the Children’s Commissioner; and

·         the Welsh Local Government Association

seeking their views on the petition.