Record number of pupils severely absent from school, new figures reveal

Alarm bells ringing

A record number of pupils are severely absent from school, with over 150,000 children missing more than 50 per cent of their classes. The latest Department for Education statistics for the Summer term 2023 highlight a concerning trend of persistent absence, affecting 1.6 million children missing more than 10 per cent of school days.

Disproportionate impact on disadvantaged children

Disadvantaged children are disproportionately affected, with pupils on free school meals more than three times as likely to skip school. The absence rates have seen a 12 per cent increase compared to the previous term, with an alarming 80 per cent hike since before the pandemic.

Call for action

Education leaders are urging ministers to address the crisis. Beth Prescott, Education Lead at the Centre for Social Justice, emphasized the importance of tackling severe absence to prevent further widening of the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their peers.

Prescott stated, "Failure to get these children back to school will have enduring consequences for them, wider society, and the economy."