Overall absence falls to record low

In February, the Government announced that persistent absence in schools and overall absence is at a record low.

However, Minister for Young People, Kevin Brennan, is urging schools, councils and parents to do more to tackle persistent absentees. Brennan is writing to all local authorities urging them to keep up the pressure on persistent absence, tackling the causes, ensuring good behaviour and making parents accountable.

This year’s attendance data is the most detailed ever, including reasons for absence to enable local authorities and schools to keep a closer eye on absence and focus their resources.

Brennan said:

“Overall absence is at a record low, as has been the trend over the past decade. We’re on course to meet our 2008 target of reducing absence by 8% compared to 2002/3 figures.

“But working with schools we need to do much more…About 7% of pupils account for a third of all absence in secondary schools but the evidence shows that targeting is working, with 436 schools with the biggest share of persistent absence having reduced it by almost 20% in a year…..Dubious absences are now being rigorously queried rather than overlooked as they may have been a decade ago. Another drop in overall absence this year shows we’re succeeding, with on average 58,000 more pupils in school each day than if absence were still at 1997 levels.

“Behind every single absence statistic is an individual story we need to get to the bottom of and solve. There can be no passivity in the face of the scourge of persistent absence.”

Overall absence falls to record low

Latest Edition