First week of school ‘critical’ to prevent long-term absence, figures show

Shiva K Dhakal
National Press Corporation(NPC),UK

Pupils in England who miss the first week of school are far more likely to be absent throughout the year, official figures suggest.

Government data seen by the BBC shows 57% of pupils who skipped lessons in the first week of September 2024 later became “persistently absent” — missing at least 10% of school. Among those who attended fully, the figure was 14%.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called the first week “critical” and urged parents and schools to “double down” on attendance. She warned absence levels remain “critically high, putting at risk the life chances of a whole generation”.

Head teacher Karl Stewart, from Shaftesbury Junior School in Leicester, said attendance had mostly returned to pre-pandemic levels, but challenges remained, including parents taking children on term-time holidays.

The Department for Education said 800 schools would be supported through new attendance and behaviour hubs. But school leaders warned that deeper issues such as poor mental health and anxiety also need urgent attention.

Overall, 18% of pupils were persistently absent last year — an improvement since the Covid peak, but still well above pre-pandemic levels of around 11%.

Sources: bbc.com