Attendance

The latest news and professional advice on school attendance, including analysis of attendance data and shared practice on tackling pupil absence and internal truancy

Tuesday

22nd Jul 2025

Absence fines are ‘Dickensian’, MPs told
Experts today answered Commons committee’s questions about addressing low school attendance – here’s what we learned
School attendance: Absence fines are 'Dickensian', MPs have been told
5 top Tes articles on pastoral care
This summer we’re rounding up some of our most popular recent features on different education topics. Here are our top five reads on student mental health and pastoral care
Tes' top five articles on pastoral care in schools

Thursday

10th Jul 2025

Suspensions and exclusions reach ‘shocking’ record highs in 2023-24
State school suspensions near 1 million and set a new peak as exclusions cross 10,000 threshold
Empty chair in classroom

Friday

4th Jul 2025

DfE misses its deadline for key attendance and behaviour roles
Two ‘ambassadors’ who will oversee the merged attendance and behaviour hubs were due to start today, but the DfE has made no announcement
Hand pointing at alarm clock
Exclusive

Wednesday

2nd Jul 2025

Just 19 people show interest in the DfE’s ambassador jobs
The DfE is accused of ‘burying’ adverts for its new attendance and behaviour ambassador jobs, with the successful candidates, who are due to start this week, yet to be announced
Job vacancy sign in the dirt
Exclusive

Saturday

14th Jun 2025

‘Horror’ toilets make pupils ask to miss school, parents say
Poll reveals 1 in 6 school toilets rated unclean, amid calls for government to prioritise funding to improve ‘disgusting’ lavatories as part of school estate upgrades

Thursday

5th Jun 2025

Curriculum fuels pupil ‘engagement crisis’, warns Lift CEO
Becks Boomer-Clark tells Lords that students are ‘voting with their feet’ because school ‘does not match their needs’
Curriculum engagement crisis

Wednesday

4th Jun 2025

Phillipson: Leaders have ‘responsibility’ to boost attendance
Education secretary tells school leaders in Birmingham she wants more progress on pupil absence
Bridget Phillipson with classroom of pupils

Thursday

29th May 2025

Early intervention has helped us to improve attendance
A school leader explains how setting a higher target for attendance and focusing on family support has proved successful in reducing absence
improve attendance Children in school
Students miss school because they can’t afford transport and meals
One in six secondary students has missed school at least once because they did not have something they needed, polling shows
Students are missing school because they can't afford uniforms or meals, research shows

Thursday

22nd May 2025

How to create a truly inclusive education system
The executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives explains its new roadmap to help the government deliver a more inclusive school system – and why inclusion is so important
inclusive education illustration of different heads

Wednesday

21st May 2025

Mental health and attendance: 5 insights for school leaders
New DfE research offers insightful analysis of the relationship between mental ill-health and school absence, including some findings that challenge conventional wisdom, writes Luke Ramsden
Wellbeing absence child sitting on bench