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

Tuesday

16th Dec 2025

Pupils in crowded and damp homes miss more school, study finds
Poor-quality housing affects educational outcomes as well as health, UCL research shows
Children in overcrowded and damp homes miss three weeks more school

Monday

15th Dec 2025

Why we need to pay more attention to the social side of attendance
Pupils with SEND have far higher absence rates than those without. We need systemic change, not simply a focus on attendance, argues this headteacher
Boy alone on seesaw

Wednesday

3rd Dec 2025

Why attendance data tells you less than you think
The government is focusing huge amounts of attention and funding on trying to solve the attendance crisis. But how sure are we that steps to tackle persistent absence will actually lead to a significant shift in outcomes?
Girls cut from picture

Tuesday

2nd Dec 2025

Ofsted chief’s warning over ‘scandal’ of children missing education
Sir Martyn Oliver hopes the watchdog’s new inspection framework will result in a ‘system-wide behaviour shift on inclusion’
Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver

Thursday

27th Nov 2025

MAT to pilot later starts as part of KS3 ‘revolution’
Lift Schools and Reach Foundation launch a programme to tackle disengagement in Years 7 to 9, including testing out a later start to the school day

A new scheme is being launched to tackle an 'engagement crisis' among KS3 students.

Saturday

22nd Nov 2025

AI targets won’t tackle attendance crisis, heads warn
In response to new AI-powered attendance targets for every school, leaders tell the DfE that there is no ‘quick solution’ to the pupil absence problem
Attendance
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Friday

21st Nov 2025

What US schools taught us about motivating pupils
Visiting schools in Ohio where assessment is turned into a celebration got this MAT leader thinking about ways to use healthy competition to drive engagement and outcomes
Archive spelling bee

Thursday

20th Nov 2025

Suspensions fall but remain higher than before Covid
Permanent exclusions from school have also dropped and are now similar to pre-pandemic levels, DfE figures show
Suspensions and exclusions autumn 2024-25

Saturday

15th Nov 2025

Why AI attendance targets will make inclusion harder
There are multiple issues with the government’s new AI-powered attendance targets – but the most pressing is that they will deter schools from being inclusive, argues headteacher Michael Tidd
ai robot sitting in chair

Thursday

13th Nov 2025

Pupil absence remains ‘stubbornly high’ this year
Analysis of 2025-26 attendance rates so far shows absence levels remain similar to figures from the same time last year
There is no sign of change in school attendance levels , according to new FFT Education Datalab analysis.
How enrichment helped our trust improve attendance
By introducing four new core sports across its 20 schools, Redhill Academy Trust bolstered attendance, with a particular benefit for disadvantaged pupils. Ellen Peirson-Hagger hears how it did it
rowing boat on water

Wednesday

12th Nov 2025

DfE announces 36 new attendance and behaviour hubs
The latest cohort brings the total number of hub lead schools to 57, with more expected to be announced
behaviour and attendance