Pupils who attend school nearly every day in year 11 are almost twice as likely to achieve a grade 5 in English and Maths GCSE than those who miss between 5 and 10 per cent of lessons, government attendance research suggests.
The Department for Education (DfE) has published a report which examines the link between attendance and attainment of pupils taking SATs and GCSEs.
They analysed school census data from schools and exam and test results, using a model which controlled for the effect of other factors which may affect a pupil’s attainment, such as their characteristics.
It comes after the Education Policy Institute (EPI) found school absences between 2019 and 2023 were a “key, and growing, driver of the disadvantage gap”.
Here’s what we learned from the government research.
1. Attendance is key in year 11…
Pupils in year 11 with an attendance rate of over 95 per cent were 1.9 times more likely to achieve a grade 5 in English and Maths GCSEs, compared to pupils who only attended 90 to 95 per cent of the time.
Missing just ten days of year 11, the report said, halved the chance of achieving a grade 5 in the subjects.
2. …and year 6
Pupils in year six with an attendance rate of over 95 per cent were 1.3 times more likely to achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths when compared to pupils who only attended 90 to 95 per cent of the time.
Missing just 10 days of year six reduced the likelihood of reaching the expected standard by around 25 per cent.
3. Poorer pupils have lower attendance and attainment
The report found “strong evidence that other factors may affect a pupil’s attainment”, such as their eligibility for free school meals, or special educational needs and disabilities.
Pupils eligible for free school meals are “under-represented in the higher attendance bands”, accounting for only 20 per cent of year 6 pupils in the 95 to 100 per cent attendance band but 69 per cent of those in the 65 to 70 per cent band.
27.3 per cent of year 6 pupils nationally are eligible for free school meals.
At year 11, only 14 per cent of pupils with attendance above 95 per cent were eligible for free school meals, compared to 21.3 per cent of year 11s nationally.
Pupils eligible for free school meals also had a lower likelihood of reaching the expected standard at key stage 2 or getting a grade 5 at GCSE.
Children with SEND also had lower attendance rates and were less likely to reach the expected standards.
