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Persistent absence from schools is higher in Norfolk than the national average – but what are the human stories behind this?
At secondary school level, the Norfolk total stood at 38.1% during the 2022-23 academic year, compared to a national figure of 28.3%.
For primary schools, it was 18.9%, compared to 17.2%.
Persistent absence is defined as missing 10% or more possible sessions, equating to about seven days per term.
Last Friday, 19 parents and guardians, responsible for 11 children, faced magistrates in Great Yarmouth to explain why their child was persistently absent from school between December 2023 and July this year.
Alison told magistrates she was frightened of her son, who was abusive towards her. While his attendance since September had improved, Alison said she had no control over him.
Andrea’s 13-year-old daughter had an attendance of 59% between 12 February and 10 May, with 39 days absent. Paul, her stepfather, said the girl suffered with a short-term memory problem that affected her ability to learn.
David and Susan’s daughter, now 15, missed 37 days of school between 25 March and 5 July. Her parents said they had begun consultations to find out whether she had ADHD.
The court heard one 12-year-old girl had missed 58.5 days at school between 11 March and 25 June. Her parents, Roger and Anna, had separated nine years ago, and their younger daughter had spent some time living with her maternal grandmother.
Children and families face a range of challenges. Referring to the cases where parents highlighted school policies restricting access to toilets during lessons, preventing them from changing sanitary products, Tina Leslie, of period poverty charity Freedom 4 Girls, said it was unfair to penalise girls for something they could not prevent.
If you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.
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