The education sector has become a “peripheral issue” under the Conservative Government, the shadow education secretary has said.

Bridget Phillipson said a reset between schools, families and Government was needed as concerns remain about school attendance figures.

It comes as a poll conducted for the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) found almost a third of parents believe it is not essential for children to attend school every day.

The think tank’s report, which questioned 1,206 parents during December 2023, found 28% felt that way, and only 70% of parents are confident their child’s needs are being met – a figure which drops to 61% at secondary school.

Speaking outside BBC Broadcasting House on Sunday, Ms Phillipson told the PA news agency: “It’s deeply concerning that we’re seeing really high levels of absenteeism amongst children in our schools.

“I believe that parents have responsibilities to make sure their children are at school, because every day counts and it damages children’s life chances when they’re not in school.”

CSJ chief executive Andy Cook said there was “fundamental work to be done in rebuilding the contract between families and schools”.

In its report, the CSJ sets out a seven-point plan which calls for at least five more hours of extracurricular activities each week via a “right to sport” and investment in youth clubs and services.

Ms Phillipson said Labour would introduce better support around mental health, breakfast clubs in primary schools and “a reset of the relationship between schools and families, and between schools and Government”.

Asked what that reset would entail, Ms Phillipson said: “It means education has to be front and centre of national life once more – it’s become a peripheral issue under the Conservatives, and I’ll be setting out Labour’s long-term plan for our schools this week.”

The CSJ report also recommends the rollout of attendance mentors, a review into the effectiveness of finds and prosecutions for absences and the creation of a National Parental Participation Strategy.