Teachers say holidays in term can be worth more than time in school
Summary
A new report says many teachers in England and Wales doubt that strict rules on school attendance work well. Teachers and school leaders find chasing pupils to attend school time-consuming and believe occasional holidays may sometimes be more valuable than a few days in school. There are also many young people who miss school or college without enough support to help them re-engage.Key Facts
- Nearly 20% of children in England and Wales miss at least 10% of school.
- Teachers from low-income areas often doubt holiday fines help improve attendance.
- A record 492,825 penalty notices for unauthorized absences were issued in England in 2024-25, more than before Covid.
- Children’s commissioner Rachel de Souza warns tens of thousands of 16- and 17-year-olds in college attend less than half their classes, leading to “hidden” young people not in education, employment, or training (Neets).
- Teachers say mental health support, special education services, and social workers are often missing or insufficient, making schools responsible for many needs.
- Building good relationships with students, mentoring, and home visits take a lot of staff time but are seen as the most effective ways to improve attendance.
- The overall absence rate in England in 2025-26 was 6.93%, higher than the 4.7% before the pandemic.
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