Overall and persistent absence (defined as students missing 10 per cent or more of school sessions) remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels despite sustained school and policy efforts to improve attendance. So what can we do about it?
We wanted to understand what schools are already doing to support students to return to school following absence and how successful they feel these approaches are. We hope that other schools might find this helpful for reflecting upon and shaping their own practice.
We spoke with school staff and a total of 85 students across nine secondary mainstream schools. We also asked three questions as part of NFER’s teacher voice survey, which gathered responses from more than 600 secondary teachers and leaders.
The rising impact of mental health
School staff told us that mental health concerns – particularly anxiety – were a significant barrier to attendance. They also found it more difficult to support these students to return to school.
Staff also talked about the importance of the language used around mental health. They noted that while some students experienced significant anxiety that hindered their ability to attend school, others faced everyday challenges and setbacks but viewed them as major barriers to attendance.
Meanwhile, students told us that school could be a source of stress and anxiety for them. They worried about falling behind with schoolwork and about reintegrating into friendship groups after an absence.
Solutions
While it is important for schools to validate students’ feelings and foster a supportive environment, a more nuanced conversation is needed between schools, parents and students around resilience, coping strategies, and when professional mental health support is necessary.
Schools that haven’t already done so should consider adopting the government’s eight principles for a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing.
At the same time, policymakers must ensure that schools are adequately resourced to implement these principles effectively and have access to appropriate external support to promote both wellbeing and attendance.
The challenging return after absence
Students told us that the longer they were absent, the harder it became to return to school. Key challenges included:
- Anxiety about catching up on missed work.
- Fear of being questioned by peers or staff about their absence, especially if they had been absent for a personal/sensitive reason.
- Changes in friendship dynamics, making social reintegration difficult.
However, they appreciated having a trusted staff member check in and take the time to welcome them back to school.
School staff also talked about the importance of creating a welcoming environment and building positive relationships with students and their parents/carers, both to encourage attendance and support students’ return after absence.
Solutions
Schools should consider implementing structured re-entry support for absent students, while balancing workload demands and available resources. This could include:
- Designated staff to check in with returning students.
- Clear systems for accessing missed work, such as online learning platforms or teacher-led catch-up sessions.
- Sensitivity around questioning students about their absence, ensuring discussions take place privately where needed.
In addition, schools that combine rewards – such as prize draws, trips and stamps – with sanctions generally report higher student engagement with attendance policies. Students in these schools appear more motivated to attend, as they can see tangible benefits.
A lack of access external support
School staff told us they experienced difficulties accessing timely support from local authorities and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Long waiting lists and inconsistent service provision often result in schools developing their own in-house support, placing additional strain on their budgets and resources.
Policymakers should prioritise increased funding for school-based pastoral support and external mental health services. Multi-agency collaboration should be strengthened to ensure that schools are not left managing complex mental health needs without adequate support.
Our research shows that tackling student absence requires a nuanced approach that balances high expectations for attendance with appropriate support for students and families.
Schools play a vital role in fostering a positive attendance culture, but they need the support of parents and carers, increased resources, and strong external partnerships.
By implementing these suggestions and creating welcoming school environments, school leaders and policymakers can work together to ensure all students benefit from full and meaningful engagement with their education.
Read the full report, ‘Voices from the classroom: Understanding how secondary schools support pupils returning from absence’ here
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