Attendance

The latest news and professional advice on school attendance, including analysis of attendance data and shared practice on tackling pupil absence and internal truancy

Wednesday

14th Aug 2024

How to deal with internal truancy
Internal truancy – students skipping lessons but remaining on school grounds – is an increasing problem in some schools. So what can be done about it? Behaviour lead Amy Forrester offers her advice
Skip classes

Friday

9th Aug 2024

Unauthorised absence rising but attendance has improved
Unauthorised absence has risen by 80 per cent in secondary schools since the pandemic, new EPI analysis shows
Unauthorised absence rising but attendance has improved

Tuesday

30th Jul 2024

How do you solve a problem like school attendance?
In this edition of our Big Debate webinar, three school leaders discuss growing concerns about attendance and how teachers can address issues such as ‘internal truancy’
Child hiding in cupboard

Thursday

25th Jul 2024

Absence still high despite drive to boost attendance
Pupil absence has remained stubbornly high this year in spite of the previous government’s efforts to bring attendance back to pre-pandemic levels
Pupil fading away

Wednesday

17th Jul 2024

AP facing staff funding cliff edge, Phillipson warned
Alternative provision leaders call for more funding and action on unregulated provision in open letter to education secretary
phillipson
Exclusive

Friday

12th Jul 2024

Governors’ financial fears at record high
Six in 10 governors and trustees say that balancing their school budget is now their biggest challenge
Majority of governors fear financial sustainability

Monday

8th Jul 2024

Punitive measures to cut absence ‘no longer work’
Schools should instead adopt a ‘collaborative approach’, providing support to families of pupils with poor attendance, study finds
Attendance

Wednesday

3rd Jul 2024

Our trust attendance hub is helping us to cut absence
One trust explains the strategic approach it has taken that is providing ‘green shoots’ of recovery on school attendance
Creating an attendance hub to tackle absence

Tuesday

25th Jun 2024

IFS: Labour’s breakfast clubs plan risks school ‘mission creep’
The free breakfast clubs pledge is part of a set of measures that could present additional challenges for schools, according to the IFS
IFS: Labour’s breakfast clubs plan risks school ‘mission creep’

Thursday

20th Jun 2024

Disadvantage absence gap widens in Year 7
Wider absence gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers after transition to secondary could be partly down to differences in ‘parental support’, say analysts
Revealed: Disadvantage absence gap widens in year 7

Wednesday

19th Jun 2024

Exclusions aren’t the answer to Scotland’s behaviour issues
Resistance to school exclusions seems to be weakening in Scotland – but educators should be wary of apparent quick fixes for behaviour problems, says David Cameron
How Scottish education can do better for the most vulnerable pupils

Tuesday

18th Jun 2024

GCSEs: Deprived schools worst hit by teacher absence
Challenges facing this year’s GCSE exams cohort are significantly higher in disadvantaged schools, findings suggest
empty blue stadium seats