This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council for the attention of all schools.
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has published a research report on pupil wellbeing and school attendance in England. The study involved case study research in 10 mainstream secondary schools and included interviews and surveys with senior leaders, pupils, parents and carers. Findings include: pupil wellbeing was seen as a major factor in declining school attendance rates; pupils perceived poor wellbeing and mental health as legitimate reasons for absence; and parents, carers and pupils felt relational aspects of support had a greater impact than specific interventions. Recommendations include: schools should adopt a curious and supportive mindset when dealing with cases of persistent absence; and the government should ensure that wider public services are equipped to work with schools.
Read the report: New research suggests pupil wellbeing challenges fuelling persistent school absence rates
The Department for Education (DfE) has published statistics on the levels of attendance in primary, secondary and special schools in England from September 2025 to July 2026. Findings show: the attendance rate across the 2025/26 academic year to date was 93.12%; and there were 9,900 permanent exclusions in 2024/25 academic year, a decrease of 9% from the previous year.
Access the statistics: Pupil attendance in schools