Kate Green – 2021 Comments on School Absences

The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Education Secretary, on 21 September 2021.

The Conservatives’ chaotic failure to plan ahead or to listen to Labour, parents and teachers and get ventilation and mitigations in place saw over 122,000 children out of school again last week. This is not good enough. The Conservatives have left schools in a mess, the new Education Secretary urgently needs to set this right.

With 158,000 more children out of school than anticipated due to Covid and standard absences, Ministers must urgently investigate what’s happening with these families and work with parents and schools to ensure all children can return to class.