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Improving Pupil Attendance: Actions for Leaders

New DfE figures show that while overall and persistent absence dipped in autumn and spring 2024/25, severe absence rose to 2.26%, signalling a growing challenge among a smaller vulnerable group.

New figures from the Department for Education show a mixed national picture on attendance. While overall absence and persistent absence fell slightly in the autumn and spring terms of 2024/25, the rate of severe absence (pupils missing at least 50% of sessions) has risen to 2.26%.

This increase doesn’t suggest widespread disengagement, but rather a growing challenge among a smaller, more vulnerable group of pupils.

At Edurio, our national surveys with pupils, staff and parents help explain the school-level conditions that may influence whether a pupil shows up, and where leaders may have the greatest leverage to reduce severe absence and boost attendance.

1. Pupil happiness and safety are uneven

Pupils who feel safe, represented and engaged are more likely to attend consistently. In our latest Pupil Experience Report 2025, we found:

  • 40% of secondary pupils said they felt very or quite well at school, up from 34% two years earlier (p.19).
  • 63% of secondary pupils felt very or quite safe in class (p.23).
  • Just 26% of secondary pupils said they often find what they learn interesting (p.21).
  • Only 16% of secondary pupils said they often learn about people like themselves in the curriculum, highlighting a gap in representation (p.26).

These patterns don’t directly explain severe absence, but they suggest that for a significant minority, school doesn’t yet feel like a safe or engaging place.

2. Staff climate supports consistency

There is a growing body of evidence linking staff wellbeing, consistency and behaviour culture to attendance outcomes. Encouragingly, our Staff Experience Report 2025 shows:

  • A 4-percentage-point rise in staff reporting improved pupil behaviour, now at 45% (p. 11).
  • A 3-percentage-point increase in staff feeling respected by pupils, now at 71% (p.11).
  • A drop in resignation risk from 43% to 41%, the first post-pandemic improvement (p.12).

A consistent, respectful environment can make it easier for pupils to feel safe and supported, particularly those at risk of chronic absence.

3. Parental access is improving, but uneven

Engagement with families can help address barriers to attendance, especially for pupils with more complex needs. In our Parent Experience Report 2025:

  • 61% of parents said they were satisfied with the school’s efforts to engage them, up from 58% the year before (p.10).

While this is improving, it highlights that family access and communication still vary and can shape whether attendance is supported at home.

What this doesn’t show

Our data focuses on school culture and relationships, areas leaders can influence day-to-day. But it doesn’t cover all the drivers behind the rise in severe absence.

National evidence points to wider challenges that sit beyond the school gates:

  • Rising mental health needs and long NHS waiting lists.
  • Cost of living pressures and housing instability.
  • Gaps in SEND provision and delays in EHCP support.
  • Limited access to specialist attendance services in some areas.

These issues don’t lessen the value of school-led action, but they help explain why some pupils remain out of sight despite best efforts.

Where leaders can focus now

Even within these broader challenges, schools and trusts can still shape the conditions that make attendance more likely.

Some practical steps include:

  • Tracking pupil safety, wellbeing and engagement regularly to identify risks early
  • Auditing curriculum representation with departments to improve belonging
  • Protecting staff working conditions that support behaviour consistency and stability

This isn’t the whole story, but it’s a meaningful part. Pupil attendance doesn’t just reflect policy or punishment. It reflects whether school feels worth coming to.