Official figures reveal one in 50 pupils in state schools in England was absent without permission in first month of new school term.
Pupil absences are more than 60 per cent higher than before the pandemic, despite the Education Secretary’s plea for children to return to school.
One in 50 pupils in state schools in England was absent without permission in the first month of the new school term, according to Department for Education figures.
The unauthorised absence rate of 2.1 per cent was up from 1.3 per cent in autumn 2019 and 1.8 per cent last year. The figures exclude children missing school because of illness.
The high rate of unauthorised absence comes despite Gillian Keegan urging pupils to return to school in September.
A record proportion of secondary pupils missed at least a month of school in the last academic year, with research suggesting that post-Covid, parents no longer believe that ensuring a child’s daily attendance at school is fundamental to good parenting.
Mrs Keegan has said that getting children back to school is her top priority.
Speaking to The Telegraph in August, she told those who “lost their confidence” during the pandemic to “dig deep” and come back to the classroom.
“There’s a lot of people who maybe feel that they’re really quite far behind, and they’re very nervous and anxious about going back to school,” she said.
“It may feel like it’s tough. It may feel like you’ve really got to dig deep to be able to force yourself back to school. But what we will say is now is the time. Please come back to school, and we will help support you, to make sure that you do well and fit back in.”
The Government has launched an attendance “mentors programme” to help children get back into school and said it is working closely with schools, trusts, governing bodies and local authorities to identify pupils in need of additional support.
Separate figures released on Thursday showed that around one in three seven-year-olds are failing to meet expected reading, writing and maths standards after lockdown.
Department for Education statistics show that in reading, 68 per cent of seven-year-olds pupils tested at the end of Year 2 met expected standards. This was slightly up from 67 per cent last year, but down from 75 per cent in 2019.
Writing tests show that 60 per cent of seven-year-olds are meeting expected standards, up from 58 per cent last year, but down from 69 per cent in 2019.
Department for Education statistics show that in reading, 68 per cent of seven-year-olds pupils tested at the end of Year 2 met expected standards. This was slightly up from 67 per cent last year, but down from 75 per cent in 2019.
Writing tests show that 60 per cent of seven-year-olds are meeting expected standards, up from 58 per cent last year, but down from 69 per cent in 2019.
Source: School pupil absence 60pc higher than pre-Covid 19 levels (telegraph.co.uk)
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