Thousands of children are still missing from school in Wales, with absence continuing to be a major problem as the third full academic year without any Covid restrictions begins next week. Efforts to tackle higher than pre-pandemic absence saw figures barely budge last academic year, with secondary pupils showing a slight rise in absences. Around six in 10 absences in the academic year September 2023 to July 2024 were for agreed reasons like illness, but the remainder were unauthorised by schools.
Among the unauthorised absences, more than 13% of half-day school sessions were missed due to family holidays that were not agreed or extended beyond the agreed period. Data from the latest Welsh Government report shows that about one in 10 half-day school sessions were missed at maintained schools overall in the last academic year, with children from lower-income families, secondary school students, and those in exam years being most likely to be absent.
Attendance rates have dropped from 94.3% in 2018-19, the last pre-pandemic year, to 89% in the academic year ending in July 2024. Education Minister Lynne Neagle, who leads a task force to address the issue, has expressed concerns about persistent absence rates, particularly among pupils eligible for free school meals. Fines for non-attendance have been reintroduced but remain controversial, with some headteachers advocating for more resources to tackle underlying social and mental health issues causing absences.
Headteachers have warned that some students, regardless of background, have fallen out of the habit of attending lessons and are struggling to return to regular school attendance years after Covid-related closures. The new approach to measure absence in the number of half-day sessions missed rather than per pupil not in lessons provides a clearer picture of the extent of the problem.
As the Welsh Government works towards improving school attendance, Education Minister Lynne Neagle has emphasised the importance of family engagement officers in encouraging reluctant children to return to school. Neagle aims for the task force to take practical actions to address the issue effectively rather than just discussing it. The minister is set to make a statement on attainment and absence in the autumn, highlighting the government’s commitment to tackling this pressing issue in Welsh schools.