Hubs and AI to tackle school absence issues

SEVEN North East schools will be "hubs" for improving pupils’ attendance as part of wide-ranging Government plans to tackle a problem that spiralled during the pandemic.

- SAM VOLPE

Education Secretary and Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson announced the measures, and explained the Government would also be using artificial intelligence to tackle school absences.

The Government is to set every school in the country an "individual minimum target" for how much attendance must improve and schools such as the seven chosen in our region, of a total of 36, will be called "Attendance and Behaviour Hubs" and offer one-to-one support to thousands of pupils as part of the scheme.

The hope is to get school attendance back to "pre-pandemic" levels. The seven North East schools identified as hubs are Croftway Academy in Blyth, Hawthorn Primary School in Elswick, St Bede's Catholic Academy in Stockton, Dyke House Sports and Technology College in Hartlepool, Belmont Community School in Durham, Macmillan Academy in Middlesbrough and Ashington Academy.