New inquiry to find pupils no longer on school rolls
The children's commissioner for England is launching an inquiry into children who are not attending school in the following national lockdowns.
Dame Rachel de Souza said between 80,000 and 100,000 children were not on any school rolls.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour programme, Dame Rachel said about 95% of children were usually in school at this time of year - but now, this figure was about 87%.
She said some absences were down to illness and Covid, and others were to do with anxiety and bullying. But she said other children had simply failed to return following classroom closures during the pandemic.
Dame Rachel said she would find them, using the police or local safeguarding boards.
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