Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofsted’s annual report.
“We welcome the spotlight that Ofsted is shining on the issues of challenging pupil behaviour and absence.
“This reflects what we hear from school leaders and it is clear that these problems have never fully recovered from the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic.
“However, inspection is, at best, a mirror to the system, and not a solution in itself.
“The real answers lie in ensuring that schools have the funding, staffing and specialist support needed to provide pastoral care and early interventions, and that we have in place the wider social support required to aid struggling families.
“It is often disadvantaged and vulnerable children who are affected by these issues as they face significant challenges in their lives, and addressing this is key to improving outcomes and closing gaps.”