First week 'critical' to avoid children missing school later, parents told
Summary
Recent data shows that children in England who miss school during the first week back are more likely to miss more school throughout the year. The Education Secretary and school leaders emphasize the importance of reducing absences to improve students' future opportunities. Schools and the government are working on strategies to address persistent absenteeism.Key Facts
- Missing the first week of school makes children more likely to miss more school later on.
- 57% of pupils who missed part of the first week became regularly absent.
- Only 14% of pupils who attended the entire first week became persistently absent.
- Persistent absence is defined as missing at least 10% of school.
- School attendance rates are still lower than pre-Covid levels but improving since the pandemic.
- The Department for Education is encouraging schools to focus on attendance from the start of the new term.
- Regional school improvement teams will support about 800 schools to boost attendance.
- Some children miss school for family holidays or medical treatments abroad.
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