School attendance is rightly high on the agenda for schools, trusts and government. But if we want to make lasting progress, we also need to look closely at some of the everyday factors shaping whether young people are ready to learn. One of the most significant and often overlooked is sleep. Through our initial work on the Department for Education’s attendance mentoring programme, which works with pupils who are persistently absent, sleep hygiene is regularly emerging as a key issue. Become a member for unlimited access to Schools Week subscribe Our members enjoy early access to exclusive content and in-depth articles before anyone else. Get expert journalism, experience fewer ads, and unlock a growing range of member benefits.