‘Significant’ increase in Barnsley secondary school attendance

In the last 12 months, the attendance rate at Barnsley secondary schools stands at 94 per cent – up from 93.7 per cent in the previous year.

Fixed-term exclusions in primary and secondary have decreased by 23 per cent in the year to June 2021, compared to the same period in the previous year.

Councillor Alan Gardiner, cabinet spokesperson for core services, said: “I was thrilled to hear that attendance at our schools is on the up, such a crucial time for our young people after the incredibly disruptive time they’ve had.

“We should collectively feel pleased and encouraged by our progress so far. But as always, equally important is recognising those areas that require more work or are not going quite to plan.

“We’ve some work to do around increasing education, employment and training for care leavers aged 19-21 but recognise that care leavers and young people have been hardest hit in respect of unemployment rates during COVID-19. 

“We’re confident that we will face our challenges head-on and work together to improve those areas that have been impacted or where progress has been delayed by the pandemic. We’ll also continue to look to the future with enthusiasm and optimism as we believe in Barnsley as the place of possibilities.”