Daily Junction.mobi portalCountries with lower absence rates tend to have stronger social safety nets (reducing poverty-related absence), better-resourced mental health services, and more integrated support for families. They also have stricter enforcement: in Germany, persistent absence can result in parents losing child benefit, and in some cases, children being taken into care.
Fixing the attendance crisis requires a multi-pronged approach that addresses root causes, not just symptoms.
First, invest in mental health support. Every school should have access to a mental health professional, and waiting times for CAMHS must be reduced to a maximum of four weeks. Early intervention for anxiety and school refusal can prevent long-term absence.
Second, tackle poverty. Extend free school meals to all pupils in households earning below £25,000, provide free school uniforms for disadvantaged pupils, and ensure free transport for all pupils living more than 1 mile from school.
Third, improve SEND support. Many pupils with SEND are absent because their needs are not being met in school. Increase funding for SEND services, reduce waiting times for EHCPs, and ensure schools have the resources to provide appropriate support.
Fourth, restore funding for attendance services. Local authorities need properly funded teams to work with families, address barriers to attendance, and provide early intervention before absence becomes entrenched.
Fifth, shift from punishment to support. Fines should be a last resort, not a first response. Schools and local authorities should focus on understanding why a child is absent and providing tailored support to address the underlying issues.
22% of pupils in England are persistently absent, up from 11% pre-pandemic, and 150,000 children are severely absent, missing more than half the school year. Persistent absence is highest among disadvantaged pupils (33%), pupils with SEND (38%), and secondary students (28%). The crisis is driven by post-pandemic normalisation of absence, a mental health crisis affecting 20% of children, cost-of-living pressures, and illness. Pupils with attendance below 90% achieve 1-2 GCSE grades lower per subject, widening the attainment gap. Fines for unauthorised absence have quadrupled to 400,000 per year, but enforcement is inconsistent and does not address root causes. Fixing the crisis requires investment in mental health support, poverty reduction (free meals, uniforms, transport), SEND services, and attendance teams—not just punishment.