Charities, a union, councils and academy trusts have formed a “high level research commission” to look at pupil engagement in school, in the face of stubbornly low attendance rates.
The commission has been set up by the ImpactEd Group and includes representatives of the ASCL leaders’ union, Confederation of School Trusts, Challenge Partners and “representatives from a number of academy trusts and local authorities from across the country”.
The group will survey more than 100,000 school pupils across the country at different points throughout the year to explore the “links between engagement, attendance and academic outcomes.
National data shows absence stood at 7.1 per cent last academic year, up from between 4 and 5 per cent before the Covid pandemic. One in five pupils misses the equivalent of an afternoon a week.
The previous government convened an attendance action alliance, comprising ministers, education sector representatives and those from health, children’s social care and police with the aim of raising attendance.
The new government has not yet said whether it will continue to function.
The new commission wants to gather “timely national data on student engagement that can act as a predictive tool for teachers and leaders tackling attendance, wellbeing and attainment gaps”.
Is pupil engagement a signal of future attendance?
The commission will be chaired by Challenge Partners co-founder Dame Sue John. Commissioners will serve under the research direction of Professor John Jerrim from University College London.
The aim is to “determine whether student engagement – the level of commitment, involvement and emotional investment a student has with their school – is a powerful signal of their future attendance and attainment”.
It will “examine the cognitive, emotional and behavioural factors influencing a child’s engagement”.
If the level of engagement is an early warning signal, “this may be a crucial missing piece of the puzzle needed to help drive positive outcomes for all students”.
The commission will also examine staff and parental engagement and how it links to student data and school improvement. It already has “over 30 academy trusts and local authorities signed up to participate in the fully funded research project”.
There is an opportunity for 10 more trusts to join the group.
‘Showing schools the early warning signs’
Participating schools will begin to receive data and insights from early 2025, with “full analysis in the summer term”. The commission will publish a report on the study’s overall findings in May.
John, who worked on the London Challenge school improvement programme, said it was “crucial we are seeking every possible solution to the ongoing attendance crisis in schools since the pandemic – students need to be in school every day in order to have the best possible chance to thrive in life”.
“Our work will show schools what the early warning signs are — the lead indicators that will help schools intervene before a disengaged student becomes an absent one.
“With the right data, schools will be able to identify trends, allocate resources more effectively and tailor interventions to the specific needs of individual students.”
The commissioners
Dame Sue John, Commission Chair and Executive Director of Challenge Partners
Cara Ackroyd, Executive Principal, Outwood Grange Academes Trust
Reena Bhogal-Welsh, Director of Education and Inclusion, Liverpool City Council
Sarah Botchway, Director, London South Teaching School Hub
Karen Bramwell OBE, Chief Executive and Executive Principal, Forward as One Academy Trust
Dr Herminder Channa OBE, Regional Director, Oasis Community Learning
Simon Corner, Principal of Wade Deacon High School and Director of Secondary Education for Wade Deacon Trust
Jo Coton, CEO, NET Academies Trust
Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive, Confederation of School Trusts
Carol Dewhurst OBE, Chief Executive, Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust
Tamsin Frances, Executive Director of People, Strategy and IT, Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust
Rob Hardcastle, CEO of Hatton Academies Trust
Carly Holliman, Deputy CEO, Eden Academy Trust
Professor John Jerrim, University College London and The Engagement Platform (TEP)
Laura Lewis-Williams, Managing Director, Challenge Partners
John Loftus, Vice Principal at The Education Alliance MAT
Margaret Mullholland, SEND and Inclusion Specialist, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
Dame Nicola Stephenson DBE, CEO, Valour Multi Academy Trust
James Townsend, Executive Director, the REACH Foundation
Kully Uppal, Deputy CEO, Summit Learning Trust
Dr Josephine Valentine OBE, CEO of Danes Educational Trust
Dr Chris Wilson, ImpactEd Group
Andrew Young, Co-Director, Pathfinder Teaching School Hub
