The President of the Association of School and College Leaders will today (Friday 8 March) call for a change of tone in the national conversation about education as a survey reveals that nearly a third of teachers have experienced pupils being absent this academic year because parents are in dispute with their school.
Persistent absence in English schools has doubled since before the pandemic, and ASCL commissioned survey app Teacher Tapp to ask teachers and school leaders what reasons they have been given for pupils missing school other than for illness.
Of 8,411 teachers and leaders in state-funded primary and secondary schools, the results were:
Family wants to take a holiday during term time: 87%
Pupil is attending a family event: 76%
Pupil is too anxious about school to attend: 66%
Pupil kept home because they are tired after an event the night before: 51%
Pupil kept home because parent/ carer is in dispute with school: 32%
Pupil wants to work online from home (other than due to illness): 8%
