Written question WQ97590

The reasons for school absences are complex, often requiring intensive, and multi-agency support including addressing attitudes towards engagement with school, provision of mental health and wellbeing support and the availability of specific learning support services. That is why this financial year we are investing £7m in supporting positive engagement with school. This includes supporting the work of Family Engagement Officers, activities to tackle disengagement, investment in Community Focused Schools and increasing the funding for our School Holiday Enrichment Programme.

We continue to see improvements in attendance. I am pleased that over the 2024/25 school year school year, overall absence in secondary schools fell from 12.0% to 10.9% and persistent absence dropped from 37.1% to 33.0%.