Following concerns of persistent absence of pupils in schools since the Covid pandemic, latest figures show that attendance is improving in Walsall.
Due to a sharp rise in absentees post-pandemic, the Department for Education issued non-statutory guidance to schools in 2022 to help improve attendance.
This required schools to track attendance data and devise a strategic approach for improvement.
Absentee figures peaked in the 2021/2022 academic year to 29% of children who were considered as persistent absentees (missing 10% or more sessions). The latest confirmed figure shows that the percentage has now decreased to 23.10% for the 2022/23 Autumn/Spring term.
Unpublished figures for the 2023/24 Autumn terms show that the level of persistent absentees stands at 22.49%, a further decrease year-on-year.*
A national government campaign was launched earlier this year with the strapline “moments matter, attendance counts” to further increase awareness to parents and children about the importance of attending school.
*This is currently an estimated figure until officially published.
Walsall students have achieved a passing grade of A*-E in 92% of this year’s A-Level and A-Level equivalent qualifications.
A* grades were achieved in 10% of qualifications and an A or A* in 30% of qualifications.
Councillor Mark Statham, Portfolio Holder for Education and Skills, said,
“Congratulations to Walsall’s young people that today received their A-Levels and post-16 qualification results. You should be very proud of the hard work you have put in and what you have achieved. Students in the borough have made good progress at this level.
“Even if you haven’t quite got the results you expected, there are still lots of options available; School staff and supporting organisations are on hand to talk you through your options as you embark on the next chapter in life.
“Good luck to all students who will be collecting their GCSE results next week.”
If a student does not receive the results they were expecting or needed then they should in the first instance speak to their school about the options open to them including appealing their grades. Walsall Council is supporting schools and academies with this offer.
There are lots of options available for young people – whether their exam results are as they expected, better or not quite as good as they hoped they would be. These include going on to college, entering the world of work or becoming an apprentice.
A wide-ranging public consultation has been launched on proposals to merge Q3 Academies Trust and The Mercian Trust.
Q3 Academies Trust is currently responsible for governing Q3 Academy in Great Barr, Q3 Academy Langley and Q3 Academy in Tipton.
The Mercian Trust is currently responsible for governing Aldridge School, Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Queen Mary’s High School, Shire Oak Academy, The Ladder School and Walsall Studio School.
All Mercian schools and Q3 Academies are part of the proposed MAT merger which will see them become part of the same family of schools governed by one charitable trust.
In a consultation document on the envisaged merger the Trusts state the ‘ambitious plans’ set out an exciting future for students, staff, and for the school and local communities as a whole.
In its consultation document leaders of the Trusts say they are focused on accelerating the pace of school improvement is important to ensure no students are left behind and this would be facilitated by focusing on its combined resources on shared needs and priorities.
The Trusts also believe the merger would have great benefits for its staff, including providing better career progression opportunities, creating the right environment for staff to share knowledge, understanding expertise and resources to improve outcome for students, and maintaining and enhancing the schools’ reputation with external stakeholders, including parents, employers and regulatory bodies.
Some of the hoped advantages of the merger include;
Creating a broader school curriculum offer, including in post-16 education, that further develops students, preparing them for the world of work.
Drive improvement, support and innovation in all the 9 MAT schools.
Responding to the teacher recruitment and retention challenge by providing better career opportunities for staff.
Grow in size and significance for the benefit of students, staff and the local communities served.
Under the proposed merger the names of each individual schools would remain the same. The MAT (a single charitable trust) would be called The Mercian Trust, but each of the Q3 academies will remain and maintain the Q3 name.
Rob, Isabel & Toby Pearson Get To Grips With A Construction Project
Philosopher George Santayana once remarked that ‘a child only educated in school is an uneducated child.’
With lockdown removing most children from the classrooms, home schooling has been the ‘new normal’ for many.
“Opportunities to learn surround us in everything we do – it doesn’t just happen in school,” explained Head Teacher Helen Wright.
“Give a child your time and attention and they will learn and remember more than they will ever in the classroom.”
Parents across the country have risen to the challenge and we catch up with a couple of local dads in charge of lockdown lessons.
Rob Pearson swapped his day-to-day job as a building maintenance systems engineer for teacher when schools closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
His daughter Isabel, who attends Park Hall Infants Academy, enjoyed daily lessons from dad, while his school teacher wife Cassie continued her day job.
As well as the 3 Rs, Rob and Isabel enjoyed regular nature lessons – signing up for a five-week bird-watching survey with the British Ornithological Trust (BTO) and planting flowers and tracking them as they grew.
There was also plenty of play-style learning to help keep Isabel’s three-year-old brother Toby occupied, too.
The pièce de resistance for Rob was the science lessons – making different paper aeroplanes and measuring how far they fly, and building a wind turbine out of tin cans.
“I’ve been wanting to make one for a couple of years and as we had the chance to do it, we made it one of our projects,” said Rob, who was placed on furlough in April.
“Isabel helped where she could, with the gluing, looking at the instructions, and holding the pole in place, but I did the cutting and twisting the blades because the edges were sharp. It’s still in the garden now and looks great. I’ve enjoyed doing it for the past few weeks.”
It was DIY and science that Stuart Webb’s children enjoyed when he supervised their lockdown lessons.
The Aldridge dad of two, who works as a service manager for Walsall Council’s leisure services department, worked throughout the lockdown period, but was able to do the lessons when he took annual leave.
Martha, aged eight and in year four at Cooper & Jordan School, and her brother Henry, who is 11 and in year six at the school, have spent most of their time being supervised by their mother Kelly, who works at Bloxwich Leisure Centre as swimming instructor and receptionist.
But Stuart, who admitted he felt guilty about not being able to dedicate the same time to doing lessons with his children because of working, he ensured he did his bit on his days off.
His favourite project? A challenge from the school to create something from marbles – with his children, they collected old timber from the garage and other bits and bobs to make a pinball machine, which worked brilliantly, he said.
“We came up with the idea and they both did the sawing, drilling and hammering to make it – the kids absolutely loved it,” he said.
In fact, Martha enjoyed woodwork so much she enlisted Stuart to help her make a birdhouse from offcuts of wood.
Stuart also enjoyed a wind power science experiment that the children were asked to do at home, with cardboard, string and a hairdryer.
“We’ve also been on plenty of walks and bike rides, while Henry has been able to practise some cricket as the nets opened at Aldridge Cricket Club,” he added.
