School threatens to send police round to children's homes if kids miss a day
A school has been accused of using "intimidating" tactics by threatening the visit of police to check up on absent pupils.
Parents of children at Mossley Hollins High School, in Tameside, Greater Manchester, were sent a newsletter last Friday, where there was a warning of random days during term time where there could be unannounced home visits "even if your child has only been absent for that day".
And just in case parents were in any doubt as to how serious the school is treating the issue, it warned that police could also be calling at pupils' doors.
"The police will also be supporting the school in carrying out home visits for students who are absent from school," states the letter.
"During each term there will be specific days of action where some of our local police will be joining our attendance team in making home visits."
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It goes on to state that parents whose children are 'absent for a genuine illness' need not worry.
Some parent's have said they feel like they are being "threatened" (Colin Horne - Manchester Evening News)"This is just another part of our work in ensuring that our attendance continues to be very strong and children get the education to which they are fully entitled," it said.
But some parents have hit out at the strategy, especially while some children are missing school through teacher strike action.
"I'm positive that parents who are already stressed by their children being off school when they are sick and unable to attend are not being helped by such intimidating harassment tactics," a mum told the Manchester Evening News.
"So the police can't attend incidents for days, but can turn up if your kids are off school??" said a parent on a Facebook community page.
"Well if I had a child at school and they rocked up at my door they soon wish they hadn't," said another. "I can understand visits like when I was young by the truant officer after continuing absence, but a child being off one day, no way."
But some people felt it was a good plan to cut out truancy.
"I think it's a good idea," said one. "If a kid's genuinely sick and there's a visit, what's the problem?"
"Get a grip, other schools do this too," said another. "If your child is genuinely ill then you have nothing to worry about. They will be targeting those who can't be bothered and are absent all the time.
"If you don't like the school rules then don't send your child to Hollins. Parents are told exactly what to expect at the Open Evening."
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Drew Duncan, executive headteacher at Mossley Hollins, said nobody had contacted the school to complain and, had they done so, he would have been able to "clarify" the situation.
He highlighted concerns raised by the government over children missing school for reasons other than illness.
"Whilst we are delighted to report that the attendance figures at Mossley Hollins High School are significantly above the national figures for this year and last year, we still have fewer students attending school than we did before the pandemic and we are worried for them," said Mr Duncan.
"Every winter there is illness absence and we always support families over illness absence."
He said that every school does attendance home visits "in line with direct guidance from our local authority" and said any action on student absence is dealt with "on an individual basis" taking all the various factors into account.
Mr Duncan said the school was working closely with PCSOs as they have "strong links with schools and families in the area".
He added: "Our Attendance Team has already been highly successful in monitoring, expecting, listening, understanding and formalising support for the small number of parents who are genuinely struggling to get their child back into school. We have had major successes and real gratitude from those mothers and fathers.
"But we also have a duty to 'expect' and 'enforce' when a child is not ill but is not attending."
A spokesperson for GMP reportedly said partnership approaches between the police and schools was "something that happens force-wide".
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