Evidence brief on improving attendance and support for disadvantaged pupils

A new inquiry by the Education Select Committee is investigating the causes and possible solutions of persistent absence.

Persistent absence is an immediate issue facing schools across the country. According to the most recent data, almost one in four pupils missed more than 10 per cent of sessions in the autumn term of 2021, and 1.4 per cent of pupils missed at least 50 per cent of sessions.

We know these pupils are disproportionately more like to come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. So tackling persistent absence is an important part of improving education outcomes for this group.

In our submission, we set out what we know from existing research into improving attendance, drawing on a rapid evidence review we published last year. We also dig deeper into the evidence on specific approaches, such as mentoring and parental engagement.