This informal CPD article, ‘School Attendance: Moving from Barriers to Breakthroughs’, was provided by NSM Training and Consultancy, an organisation that provide engaging, practical, and high-impact CPD courses and in-house training for education staff across the UK and beyond.
School attendance has become one of the most urgent priorities in education today. For headteachers, pastoral teams, and classroom staff alike, ensuring pupils are present, safe, and ready to learn is no longer just a welfare concern, it’s a core part of school improvement and accountability.
According to the Department for Education’s latest figures, 20% of pupils in England were persistently absent in the 2023–24 academic year (1). That means one in five children missed at least 10% of school. Before the pandemic, this figure was closer to 11% (2). So, while we’ve returned to in-person learning, the attendance crisis has not gone away, it has simply evolved.
This isn’t just about days lost. We know that when pupils aren’t in school, their learning suffers. Persistent absence is strongly linked to lower attainment and higher safeguarding risks (3). Pupils who are frequently absent are far less likely to meet age-related expectations, and they’re more likely to fall into cycles of disengagement, exclusion, and long-term disadvantage.
But improving attendance isn't simply a case of enforcing rules. The barriers that keep children from attending school regularly are often complex and they can’t be solved with a blanket approach.
What’s Really Behind the Absence Numbers?
Many schools are already working hard to unpick what’s driving the data. The reasons vary widely, but some common threads have emerged (4):
- Mental health challenges are playing a bigger role than ever. Anxiety, trauma, and emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) are increasingly common, particularly among pupils who found the return to school after lockdown unsettling.
- Socioeconomic pressures are affecting families. In some cases, pupils are missing school because of housing insecurity, transport barriers, or lack of access to basic support.
- Pupils with SEND/ALN are disproportionately affected. When a child’s needs aren’t fully met, attendance often becomes a symptom of wider issues with inclusion or curriculum access.
These are not problems that can be solved overnight, but they can be addressed.
Towards a Culture of Consistent Attendance
The most successful schools are taking a proactive, whole-school approach to attendance. It’s not about chasing figures it’s about building a culture where being in school is safe, supported, and expected.
This includes:
- Robust tracking systems, allowing leaders to spot patterns early and intervene before absence becomes entrenched.
- Tiered intervention, where strategies are matched to need, ranging from universal messaging to targeted family work or specialist support.
- Strong mental health provision, with clear pathways for identifying and supporting pupils with anxiety or emotional barriers.
- Inclusion for pupils with SEND/ALN, ensuring that all pupils feel they belong, can access learning, and are understood.
- Family partnerships, where communication is open, consistent, and rooted in trust not blame.
It’s also worth noting that OFSTED is placing more emphasis on attendance (5), particularly in relation to safeguarding and inclusion. Inspectors will look closely at not just the numbers, but how schools are responding to them, what’s in place, who’s involved, and how barriers are being reduced.
Attendance is Everyone’s Business
This isn’t the responsibility of one person, or one department. Improving attendance requires leadership, collaboration, and clarity. It needs consistent systems, compassionate staff, and a shared understanding across the school community.
Change won’t happen overnight, but it is possible. And every step towards better attendance is a step towards better outcomes, for every child.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from NSM Training and Consultancy, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
REFERENCES
- https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2023-24
- https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2018-19
- https://assets.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wpuploads/2023/11/CC-REPORT-_-Attendance-and-Attainment-_-Oct-23.pdf
- https://assets.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wpuploads/2022/07/cc-new-insights-into-school-absence.pdf
- https://www.ess-sims.co.uk/resources/blog/understanding-new-ofsted-framework-2024-key-changes-and-implications-for-schools
