Schools will be given tailored improvement targets to combat a concerning drop in classroom attendance over the past academic year, with a rise in students staying at home on Fridays particularly notable.
Education minister Paul Waugh, writing exclusively for The i Paper, said the latest figures show “progress has slowed” on attendance despite concerted efforts by the Department for Education (DfE) to improve school attendance rates.
Sickness, lack of sleep due to screentime and social media bullying are all though to be responsible.
The Labour MP for Rochdale said the Government would also look into why absence due to illness has surged by almost a quarter on Fridays, the end of the week becoming a “particular weak spot for attendance”.
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