Deteriorating pupil wellbeing is likely to be a major factor
influencing school attendance, according to new research, with increased
social media use and online bullying linked to the decline.
Persistent absence* rates in English secondary schools more than
doubled following the Covid-19 pandemic, rising from 13.7 per
cent in the 2018/19 academic year to 27.7 per cent in 2021/22.
The new research shows schools are investing significant time and
resources into improving attendance, using approaches including
pastoral support, curriculum and timetable adjustments and
specialist provision. Yet despite these efforts, nearly a quarter
of secondary school pupils remained persistently absent in
2024/25 (23.4 per cent).
The study, conducted by the NFER and funded by the Nuffield
Foundation, explores the relationship between pupil wellbeing and
attendance through case study research in 10 mainstream secondary
schools, with a survey sent to all parents and carers at the
schools.
It defines wellbeing by using the PISA framework, which covers
how pupils feel about everyday life, and whether they feel safe,
happy, and supported.
School staff reported having growing concerns about pupil
wellbeing since the pandemic, while more than half (51 per cent)
of surveyed parents and carers identified poor wellbeing as a key
factor behind rising absence rates.
Parents and carers linked declining wellbeing to increased mobile
phone and social media use (66 per cent), greater awareness of
mental health symptoms (41 per cent), difficulties accessing
support services (37 per cent) and bullying (35 per cent). Pupils
also highlighted online bullying as a factor affecting both
wellbeing and attendance.
According to the research, temporary time away from school may
provide some pupils with short-term relief. But prolonged absence
can have a negative impact on wellbeing and make returning to
school more challenging. This can create a cycle in which poor
wellbeing and low attendance reinforce one another.
The report calls on policymakers to ensure that family support,
mental health services and other public services are adequately
resourced to work alongside schools. It also recommends continued
investment in attendance staff, interventions and school
infrastructure to help schools meet the needs of all pupils.
NFER Senior Research Manager, Dr , said:
"Improving attendance is not simply about getting pupils through
the school gates. Our research highlights the close relationship
between wellbeing and attendance. Poor wellbeing can make it
harder for pupils to attend school, while prolonged absence can
make it more difficult for pupils to reconnect with school. This
is a complex cycle to break.
"Schools are investing considerable time and resources in helping
pupils overcome barriers to attendance, but many of the factors
influencing absence extend beyond the school's influence.
Supporting attendance requires a coordinated approach that brings
together schools, families and wider services to address pupils'
needs."
Nuffield Foundation Programme Head, Ruth Maisey,
said:
It is striking that families consistently identified supportive
relationships and communication as having the most positive
impact on pupil absence. In contrast, fines were considered
counterproductive for tackling absences related to health or
wellbeing because they place strain on the relationships that
schools are working to build. The Government may therefore want
to revisit this aspect of policy, particularly since fines were
also considered to be insufficient to deter holiday related
absences.
Further findings:
- Attendance is often influenced by a combination of
interconnected factors, including pupil, school, family and local
circumstances, rather than a single cause.
- Pupils viewed poor wellbeing and mental health as legitimate
reasons for absence, often feeling that the academic and social
pressures of school negatively affected their wellbeing.
- Positive relationships matter most. Parents, carers and
pupils consistently identified supportive relationships and
communication as having a greater impact than specific
interventions alone.
Recommendations for government include:
- Alongside school-led efforts to improve attendance, ensure
that wider public servicessuch as local authorities, family
support and mental health provisionare adequately resourced and
staffed to work in partnership with schools.
- Monitor the impact of proposed social media restrictions for
under-16s on school attendance.
Recommendations for schools include:
- Adopt a curious and supportive approach to persistent
absence, focusing on understanding pupils' needs and building
positive relationships with pupils and their families.
- Address the impact of bullying, including online bullying, on
pupil wellbeing and attendance, and continue to prioritise
creating a safe and supportive school environment.
