Attendance dynamics: A comparative analysis

As schools welcomed students back this year, the government’s renewed focus on attendance brought challenges and changes for school business leaders across the UK. As we continue into the new term, let’s explore how the attendance story of 2023 unfolded

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on FFL Education Data Lab

Weekly absence comparison

Using data from around 2,700 secondary and 7,200 primary schools utilising Aspire Attendance Tracker, the average percentage of missed registration sessions each week of the Autumn Term was compared with the previous year.

This year’s absence closely followed last year’s in the initial half-term but diverged afterward. Notably, the increases in November and December were less dramatic this year, indicating a more gradual uptick. Primary pupils missed 5.6% of sessions, down from 6.7% last year, while secondary pupils missed 8.7%, down from 9.3%. Yet, compared to Autumn 2019, pre-pandemic levels, primary absence rose by 1.3 percentage points, and secondary by 3.1.

Reasons for absence

Analysing reasons for absence recorded in school registers offers insight into the changes. Both primary and secondary schools experienced a reduction in illness-related absence, the primary driver for the overall decrease this year. Illness-related absence dropped from 4.4% to 3.2% in primary and from 4.9% to 4.0% in secondary.

Comparing this Autumn with pre-pandemic times, primary schools showed a slight increase in illness-related and unauthorised absence. In secondary, illness-related absence increased by 0.9 percentage points, and unauthorised absence surged by 2.8 percentage points.

Geographical trends

Nationwide, most regions echoed the steady increase in absence through the second half of the term, with rates below last year’s levels. However, the sharp uptick in the final week was more pronounced in the south, particularly impacting London and the South East.

Persistent absence

Persistent absence, both at primary and secondary levels, witnessed a decline compared to last year, with primary schools experiencing more significant improvements. However, the higher thresholds showed less improvement, and the proportion of severely absent pupils increased, possibly influenced by pupils leaving schools over the summer.

While all regions saw drops in persistent absence, variations existed. London exhibited a significant drop of 6.9 percentage points, surpassing the 3.3-point drop in the North East.

In summary: A shifting landscape

The Autumn Term of 2023 saw lower absence rates compared to the previous year, driven primarily by reduced illness-related absence. Primary schools showcased substantial improvements, nearing pre-pandemic levels.

However, the persistence of high rates of persistent absence, especially in secondary schools, remains a challenge for school business leaders to address in the evolving educational landscape. As this current term unfolds, these trends will guide strategic decisions for the months ahead.