Unauthorised absences at schools in England are increasingly linked to the growing performance disparity between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, according to a new analysis from the renowned think tank, the Education Policy Institute (EPI).
The research indicates that all increases in the “disadvantage gap” for 16-year-olds since 2019 are attributable to pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) missing more school days than others, resulting in significant delays in their academic results.
The EPI’s report highlights that it is specifically unauthorised absences, particularly at the secondary level, that are exacerbating the GCSE achievement gap. This type of absence has shown a quicker rise since 2019 compared to authorised absences.
Furthermore, the study reveals that poor attendance rates are broadening the attainment gap across all ages.
The institute calculates that if disadvantaged pupils attended as regularly as their counterparts, the attainment gap at age 11 would reduce by nearly 10%, and by age 16, by 20%.
Emily Hunt, EPI’s associate director of social mobility, stated, “This is the first time it has been demonstrated that heightened and rising absenteeism among disadvantaged pupils is the main driver behind the expanding disadvantage gap since 2019.
The government must address the complex underlying causes of absenteeism to tackle this issue effectively.”
Supporting the EPI’s findings, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), emphasized the challenges school leaders face in ensuring student attendance, which is often perceived solely as their responsibility, while they are held accountable for factors beyond their control.
Di’Iasio also commented on the ineffectiveness of fines for unauthorised term-time holidays, noting that such measures often worsen the relationship between schools and parents, casting schools in a negative light.
Department for Education (DfE) data reveals that in the 2022-23 academic year, one in 50 pupils at state schools in England missed at least half of their lessons, with FSM pupils being twice as likely to be absent. The DfE is set to release updated attendance figures for the 2023-24 school year shortly.
At the ASCL conference, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson remarked on the positive signs of improvement in secondary school attendance, indicating a potential significant annual rise.
The EPI also uncovered that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who are not identified early in their schooling are prone to lag behind academically.
The research further highlighted the declining progress of girls in secondary education post-pandemic and urged further investigation into this trend and its connection to the widening gender mental health gap.
The thinktank has called on the government to address these issues by increasing the early years pupil premium to match the levels of pupil premium provided in later years.
A DfE spokesperson responded to the findings, acknowledging the inherent inequalities in the education system inherited by the current government and stressing the importance of improving school attendance as a critical goal for enhancing children’s educational outcomes and future success.
