Absenteeism among UK pupils has increased, with the unexcused absence rate for state schools in England rising to 3.4% by December 20, 2024, compared to 1.9% at the beginning of the term. The overall absence rate, including authorized absences, reached 9.5%, the highest of the fall semester. Many absences are attributed to illness, particularly colds. To combat absenteeism, the government has implemented stricter fines for unauthorized absences, increasing initial fines from £60 to £80. Despite efforts from schools to enhance attendance, issues like social challenges and mental health persist, necessitating greater governmental support.
Figures suggest the number of pupils in the UK who are absent from school without permission has increased ahead of the Christmas holidays.
The overall unexcused absence rate for state schools in England was 3.4% in the week ending December 20, the last week of term, according to data from the Department for Education (DfE).
This was higher than the 1.9% rate for the week ending September 13 at the start of the period and higher than the 2.4% rate for the week ending October 25, half a year ago, the paper said. DfE figures.
Parents in England will face hefty fines if they take their children out of class without permission this school year, as part of the government’s efforts to boost enrollment rates since the coronavirus pandemic. .
The latest data also shows that the overall absence rate (including authorized and unauthorized) for the week ending Dec. 20 was 9.5%, the “highest absentee rate” of the fall 2024 semester.
Absenteeism fluctuated throughout the final week of the semester, with a low of 8.5 percent on Tuesday and a high of 12.9 percent on Friday.
The DfE said most of the increase in absences towards the end of term was “due to illness”.
Pepe Diacio, general secretary of the Association of School and University Leaders, said: “There was a clear increase in absenteeism in the last week of the Christmas term.” This year is the season for common colds, which may be contributing to the increase.
Figures suggest the number of pupils in the UK who are absent from school without permission has increased ahead of the Christmas holidays (pictured)
“However, it is also clear that absenteeism is increasing, which is particularly worrying and we would like to reiterate the importance of attending daily education.”
“Schools are doing everything they can to improve attendance, but the government is struggling to invest in wider infrastructure, such as essential family and child care services, to address some of the issues that affect attendance. We need more support.”
National attendance data is only available for the week ending December 15, 2023, which was not the final week of term for many students, so it is difficult to compare this figure to the equivalent period in previous years. It’s difficult.
But the DfE said the increase in absences between October half-term and the end of the autumn term was “consistent with the pattern seen in 2023/24”.
The figure comes after school absence fines were increased from £60 to £80, meaning parents who receive a second fine for the same child within three years will automatically receive a £160 penalty. You will be subject to a fine.
Under new national rules, all schools will have to consider fines if a child misses more than 10 lessons (5 days) for an unauthorized reason.
According to data from the Department for Education (DfE), the overall truancy rate across state schools in England was 3.4 per cent in the week ending December 20 (pictured)
The DfE says that if a parent has more than two fines per child within three years, other measures such as a parenting order or prosecution will be considered, with those prosecuted potentially facing fines of up to £2,500. He said there is.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said it was “encouraging” that overall attendance figures for the autumn term appeared to be moving in the “right direction” compared to the same period in 2023. .
He said: “However, there is still a long way to go and schools continue to make incredible efforts to increase attendance, including by tackling truancy.”
“However, many of the causes of absenteeism lie outside the school gates, with their roots in social challenges faced by families, poverty, physical and mental health issues, and parental fines do nothing to solve this problem. No.
“Measures announced in the new Child Welfare and Schools Bill, such as free breakfast clubs and registering out-of-school children, will help, but support families and schools facing huge cuts We also need the government to reinvest in essential services,” under the previous government.
