All schools in England to get pupil attendance targets, government says
Summary
The government in England will give every mainstream state school a target to improve how often pupils attend. They will encourage schools to offer more activities on Fridays because attendance tends to be lower at the end of the week. Recent data shows student absences are still higher than before the pandemic, with many missing a significant amount of school.Key Facts
- All mainstream state schools in England will now have individual attendance targets.
- Schools are encouraged to provide more clubs and activities on Fridays to keep students engaged.
- Attendance rates in 2025/26 have fallen slightly to 93%, down from over 95% before the pandemic.
- Nearly one in five pupils (19%) missed at least 10% of school sessions, double the rate before the pandemic.
- Students receiving free school meals or with special educational needs are more likely to be absent.
- Schools missing attendance targets will be contacted by the Department for Education but face no immediate penalties.
- New data tools will help schools identify and support pupils with attendance issues earlier.
- The schools’ inspector, Ofsted, already includes attendance rates in their evaluations.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
