As reported by the Guardian, the government will introduce AI-set attendance targets for every school in England

Every school in England will receive an AI-generated attendance target under a new government initiative aimed at tackling persistent classroom absences.

Headteachers are due to receive their school’s tailored target this month as part of a national push to raise attendance, which continues to lag behind pre-pandemic levels despite recent improvements.

While overall attendance has risen, official figures released last month showed a fresh increase in severe absence – where pupils miss more than half their school sessions. The Department for Education also reported that one in three schools has made no progress in reducing absenteeism.

Each school’s target will be determined using data from institutions in similar circumstances, factoring in levels of deprivation, geographical setting and pupil demographics. The figures will remain confidential and will not be shared with Ofsted.

To help schools meet their goals, those struggling will be paired with high-performing counterparts in comparable communities, allowing leaders to share strategies and replicate successful approaches.

Teaching unions have criticised the plan, warning that it risks adding further strain to headteachers already managing heavy workloads.