Teachers warn of a ‘crisis of disengagement’ behind school attendance challenges
“A crisis of disengagement: listening to, and learning from, teachers on school attendance” is the final part of a three-year research programme exploring attendance through the eyes of parents/carers, pupils and school staff. Previous research found that many parents, carers and pupils no longer think of daily school attendance as an automatic expectation. Instead, they make decisions on whether to attend school based on wellbeing, family circumstances, and whether school feels meaningful and worth attending. This latest report draws on focus groups with 62 secondary school staff working in disadvantaged communities across England. Teachers, attendance leads and school leaders described absence as a growing problem of disengagement rather than poor behaviour.
Despite some improvement in national attendance figures since the pandemic, absence levels remain significantly above pre-pandemic rates, while severe absence continues to rise. The report highlights a particularly worrying picture for disadvantaged pupils, who are more than two-and-a-half times as likely to be persistently absent and over three-and-a-half times as likely to be severely absent compared with their peers.
Researchers found that school staff are most concerned about pupils who gradually lose their connection with learning, routines, friendships and trusted adults. Once attendance begins to decline, teachers reported that it becomes increasingly difficult for young people to catch up academically, rebuild confidence and re-engage with school life. While senior leaders and attendance leads see attendance as a whole-school priority linked to safeguarding and educational outcomes, many classroom teachers view it as just one of several competing pressures. Some questioned whether current attendance messaging reflects the realities faced by families, particularly around illness, mental health and financial pressures.
Mental health emerged as a major factor affecting attendance. Staff reported rising levels of anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance, while also expressing concern about long waiting times for specialist support services. Many felt schools were increasingly expected to fill gaps left by overstretched health and social care services. It was clear that school staff believe relationships are central to improving attendance. Trusted adults, mentoring, family engagement and creating a sense of belonging were consistently identified as the most effective approaches. However, teachers described this work as time-consuming, emotionally demanding and difficult to sustain alongside all of the other pressures in education.
The report concludes with three recommendations:
- better use of attendance data to identify problems earlier,
- greater investment in activities that build belonging and engagement, and
- stronger links between education and future employment opportunities to help pupils see attendance as an investment in their future.
Ultimately, the authors argue that improving attendance will require more than getting pupils through the school gates. Schools must create environments where young people feel they belong and can see a clear connection between education and their future success.
