Pupil absences remain above pre-Covid levels

The complaint of pupils regularly missing schoolhouse successful England has not returned to pre-Covid pandemic levels, according to official statistics.

A 4th (25.1%) of pupils were persistently absent past term, compared with 13.1% successful the autumn word of 2019.

The authorities said the lack complaint was driven by illness, with precocious levels of flu and different viruses circulating.

It said it was "offering targeted help" for children who were regularly disconnected school.

Pupils number arsenic persistently absent if they miss 10% oregon much of schoolhouse sessions, which would magnitude to 7 days successful the autumn term.

The percent of persistently absent pupils stayed astatine astir 11% successful the 2016 to 2018 autumn terms, and reached 13.1% successful 2019.

The pursuing year, persistently absent children came to see those who tested affirmative for Covid.

The authorities besides started registering children who were "not attending" schoolhouse due to the fact that of nationalist wellness guidelines, which included pupils who were retired of schoolhouse portion waiting for the results of a Covid test.

In autumn 2020, the archetypal twelvemonth of the pandemic, 44.6% of pupils missed 10% of lessons oregon more. Of those, 13% were marked arsenic absent, and 31.6% arsenic not attending owed to guidelines.

In the aforesaid word the pursuing year, that wide fig fell to 32.2%. However, the breakdown flipped, with 23.5% of those marked arsenic absent and 8.7% arsenic not attending owed to guidelines.

The authorities has scrapped the "non attending" class this world year, and 25.1% of pupils were marked arsenic absent successful autumn 2022.

As a result, it says, the persistent lack complaint was higher than successful 2021 (when it was 23.5%), but much children were successful school.

The Department for Education said it was moving with schools, councils, and governing bodies to "identify pupils who are astatine hazard of becoming, oregon who are persistently absent and moving unneurotic to enactment that kid to instrumentality to regular and accordant education".

The Education Select Committee recently said Covid was "likely to person had a damaging impact connected schoolhouse attendance".

Pupils experienced disruption to their acquisition erstwhile schools closed during Covid lockdowns successful 2020 and 2021.

At the extremity of past year, levels of flu, scarlet fever, Strep A and Covid were high.

The committee was besides looking astatine wherefore disadvantaged pupils and those with peculiar acquisition needs and disabilities (SEND) were much apt to miss schoolhouse than their peers.