School attendance has improved since the height of the post-pandemic crisis, but recovery remains slow and very uneven. Overall absence and persistent absence rates are significantly above pre-pandemic levels, and severe absence continues to rise. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds remain far more likely than their peers to be both persistently and severely absent.
This report from Impetus and Public First is the final part of a three-year research programme exploring attendance through the eyes of parents, pupils and school staff. Their previous research found that many parents and pupils no longer think of daily school attendance as an automatic expectation. Instead, they make decisions on whether to attend school based on wellbeing, family circumstances, and whether school feels meaningful and worth attending.