Attendance

The latest news and professional advice on school attendance, including analysis of attendance data and shared practice on tackling pupil absence and internal truancy

Monday

6th Jul 2026

Only 6% of schools opened late after England vs Mexico
Most schools did not make any changes to the school day to accommodate England’s 2am World Cup match against Mexico
Harry Kane

Friday

3rd Jul 2026

Lucy Heller: Government needs to run the system, not try to run schools
As she steps down as CEO of Ark after 22 years, Lucy Heller gives Jon Severs an exclusive rare interview about her views on trusts, politics and the post-Covid period in schools
New Art CEO

Thursday

2nd Jul 2026

Union calls for ‘flexible’ school start after England vs Mexico
The call from NEU’s Daniel Kebede follows England manager Thomas Tuchel, who told parents to ‘write an excuse for school and let children watch’ the World Cup match
There have been calls to start school later in the day to allow pupils to stay up and watch England v Mexico in the World Cup

Monday

29th Jun 2026

We need to target KS3 to improve white working-class outcomes
A member of the inquiry into white working-class pupils’ outcomes says successive governments’ efforts to drive up standards have overlooked a phase of education where students often become disengaged
Dame Sally Coates

Wednesday

24th Jun 2026

Secondaries more likely to be marked down for attendance and behaviour
Ofsted’s latest data reveals a disparity in outcomes between primary and secondary schools in the combined inspection area of attendance and behaviour
Secondary schools are almost twice as likely as primary schools to be rated as falling short on attendance and behaviour under Ofsted's new inspections.

Tuesday

23rd Jun 2026

Oliver responds to MPs’ concerns about new Ofsted inspections
The education select committee questions the Ofsted chief about the impact of inspections on school leaders’ wellbeing and about controversy over the watchdog’s grade for achievement
Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver

Monday

22nd Jun 2026

Why FOMO could be key to boosting attendance
Education consultant and former headteacher Rachel Macfarlane explains why creating a sense of adventure in schools can engage pupils and parents more than pleas to attend
Students in art class

Friday

19th Jun 2026

Have schools been put into an attendance trap?
New guidance on communicating with parents about absence leaves schools with the ‘all but impossible’ task of improving attendance without being able to hold families to account, warn leaders
Mixed messaging
Exclusive

Thursday

18th Jun 2026

MPs launch inquiry into Labour’s school reform plans
Committee will scrutinise DfE’s teacher recruitment targets and plans to reform accountability measures and narrow the disadvantage gap
MPs have launched an inquiry into DfE's planned schools reforms but it does not include SEND.

Wednesday

17th Jun 2026

Rejected: 1 in 10 offers of extra attendance and behaviour help
Schools targeted for help under DfE scheme may feel ‘unfairly stigmatised’, says heads’ leader
Half of its capacity
Exclusive

Thursday

11th Jun 2026

School paperwork surges due to ‘horrendous’ Ofsted workload
Around half of secondary schools have already produced extra documents to prepare for the new inspections
Pile of papers on desk

Tuesday

9th Jun 2026

DfE highlights Taylor Swift gig in crackdown on ‘one-off’ absences
Government publishes the research behind its plans to curb one-day absences, alongside a new parental communications guide for schools to help keep messaging ‘useful’
Taylor Swift