Written question WQ93988

Improving levels of attendance at school, including for the most disadvantaged learners, continues to be one of my top priorities. We know there is a strong link between school attendance and attainment. Eligibility for free school meals (FSM) is commonly used as a proxy for disadvantage for pupils in schools. The table below shows the percentage of pupils aged 5 to 15 in maintained schools eligible for FSM who were persistently absent. A pupil is defined as persistently absent if they are absent for more than 10% of half day school sessions.

Table 1: Persistent absence of pupils aged 5 to 15 in maintained schools who are eligible for free school meals

Year

% of pupils eligible for FSM who were persistently absent

2018/19

30.4

2023/24

45.1

Sources:

2018/19 data from annual attendance data collection.

2023/24 data from weekly management information.