Schools should prioritise “encouraging” and “individualised” approaches to tackling absence in addition to “punitive sanctions”, says a new report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report by the National Foundation for Educational Research <\/a>(NFER) comes as absence rates in state schools have soared from 4.5 per cent in 2016-17 to 6.9 per cent last academic year, while persistent absence rates have jumped from 10.7 per cent to 19.2 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DfE figures show the absence rates are more acute in secondary schools, as well as among pupils from financially disavantaged backgrounds and those with SEND.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NFER report aimed to understand what schools with good or improving attendance figures are currently doing to support pupils to return to school after absence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It concluded that “schools should consider prioritising encouraging and individualised approaches in addition to punitive sanction”, said NFER senior research manager and co-author of the report, Matt Walker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NFER’s report is based on face-to-face interviews with staff and pupils at nine secondaries, and responses from three NFER teacher voice survey questions, answered by more than 600 secondary teachers and leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Staff at the nine schools “consistently emphasised the importance of adopting a supportive, individualised approach to helping pupils return to school,” said the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “They stressed that tailoring support to each pupil\u2019s specific needs and circumstances was crucial in addressing the root causes of absence effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “A key part of this process involved taking the time to understand the underlying issues behind a pupil\u2019s absence,” said the report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “This was typically done through one-to-one support from a designated staff member who could build a trusted relationship with both the pupil and their parents or carers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report has also made a string of recommendations, including…<\/p>\n\n\n\n The study suggested illness, mental health challenges and term-time holidays were common causes of absence in the participating schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It said schools with fewer pupils eligible for free school meals – which received less pupil premium funding – highlighted funding constraints as a barrier to offering targeted attendance interventions like home visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Staff in these schools expressed a clear desire to increase home visits and provide more tailored support to socio-economically disadvantaged pupils if additional funding were available,” said the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It urged policymakers to increase funding for attendance and pastoral support to help schools boost their efforts, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long waiting lists and limited support from external agencies, including child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and local authorities, were found to be creating additional pressures on overstretched school staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It found staff are managing rising levels of pupil anxiety and other mental health needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSchools felt they needed stronger and more consistent support from these agencies to better manage pupil needs, tackle the root causes of absence and improve attendance,\u201d said the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It called on policymakers to invest in external mental health and family support services, and to \u201cchampion\u201d multiagency working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It also urged schools to strengthen pastoral support and mental health provision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report also urged policymakers to gather more evidence on which attendance strategies are effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is a need for more empirical research to evaluate the impact of different school policies and interventions on attendance, academic outcomes, and pupil well-being,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government in September hiked fines<\/a> for unauthorised school absences, with the penalties for parents rising from \u00a360 to \u00a380. <\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Increase funding<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Improve support for mental health<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Carry out more research<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n