The Education Scrutiny Committee met to discuss pupil attendance and exclusion rates in Neath Port Talbot schools, receiving updates and data for the 2024/25 academic year. Members noted improvements in attendance compared to the previous year, but recognised that rates remained below pre-pandemic levels. The committee also reviewed pupil exclusion data, noting a decrease in fixed-term exclusions but an increase in the proportion of girls being excluded.

Pupil Attendance Update

The committee reviewed a report on pupil attendance in Neath Port Talbot for the 2024/25 academic year. The report highlighted that primary school attendance was 91.97% and secondary school attendance was 88.53%.

There had been an improvement in attendance from the previous academic year in both sectors, but overall attendance rates of both sectors remained lower than pre-Covid years. The report noted that:

The Welsh national data for attendance will be published later in the autumn term so it is not possible to compare our improvement against any other local authority at this time.

The report also stated that there continued to be a large attendance gap between pupils who are eligible for free school meals¹ and non-free school meals, and between pupils designated as having Special Educational Needs (SEN)/Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and those non-SEN/ALN.

The report also provided an overview of how schools are being supported to improve attendance, including the work of the Education Welfare Service (EWS) and the Attendance Support Officers (ASOs). The ASOs were recruited using additional grant funding from the Welsh Government² to assist schools with the improvement of pupil attendance.

During the 2024/25 academic year, 117 parents were issued with a fixed penalty notice and 17 parents were prosecuted via Court action for their children's non-attendance.

The committee noted the update provided within the report.

Pupil Exclusions from Schools

The committee also received a report on pupil exclusion rates for Neath Port Talbot schools for the 2024/25 academic year. The report provided data on both fixed-term and permanent exclusions. Any exclusion of a pupil, even for a brief period of time, must be formally and accurately recorded, as informal or unofficial exclusions are unlawful. Unlawful exclusion of a pupil with a disability may amount to disability discrimination under the Equality Act³.

For the 2024/25 academic year the number of pupils given a fixed exclusion was 667. This is a reduction of 50 pupils from the previous 2023/24 academic year and the third-year consecutive fall in a row. However, the number of pupils excluded remains higher than when 545 pupils were given a fixed exclusion in 2018/19 (last full year pre-Covid).

The report noted that, for the first time, girls now account for exactly one-third of all fixed-term exclusions. More non-FSM pupils are excluded than FSM pupils, however, the number of incidences of exclusion are higher amongst FSM pupils than non-FSM pupils. All exclusion measures recorded against Children Looked After (CLA) pupils have reduced compared to the year previous.

16 pupils were permanently excluded from school in 2024/25, a significant decrease from 37 the previous year. For the first time in a decade since detailed analysis of exclusion rates has been recorded, more girls than boys were permanently excluded.

The majority of the reasons for the permanent exclusions during the year related to persistent disruptive behaviour.

The report also detailed alternatives to exclusion, such as Pastoral Support Programmes (PSPs), internal exclusion, managed moves, restorative justice, and access to more appropriate alternative provisions.

The committee noted the contents of the report.

Selection of Items for Future Scrutiny

The committee considered the Cabinet and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programmes⁴ and agreed to add the following reports to the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme:

• Pupil and Staff Wellbeing 27th November 2025
• Development of literacy in Neath Port Talbot Schools 8th January 2026
• Development of numeracy in Neath Port Talbot Schools 8th January 2026
• Additional Learning Needs Provision and Progress 19th February 2026

Members also discussed a previously proposed Strategic Schools Improvement Programme (SSIP) Workshop. The Head of Support Services and Transformation advised members that a report was brought to Cabinet and Scrutiny Committee previously to ask Cabinet for permission to submit the rolling program. A further report will be brought to Cabinet possibly within six months to revise the programme due to rising financial costs and the report will also be available for scrutiny. Members requested sight of the SSIP Programme, and it was agreed that the previous reports would be re-circulated. Members agreed that a workshop would not be beneficial at this time due to the forthcoming reports that can come to scrutiny committee.

The Forward Work Programme was noted.