Children across England are set to gain millions more days of learning as the government launches an urgent drive to restore school attendance to pre-pandemic levels.
The Education Secretary announced that every school will now receive an individual minimum attendance improvement target, powered by AI, as part of the government’s Plan for Change. This follows last year’s success, which saw 5.3 million extra days in school and 140,000 fewer persistently absent pupils – the biggest improvement in a decade.
From this month, schools will receive Attendance Baseline Improvement Expectations tailored to their circumstances, including location, pupil needs, and deprivation. AI will also link schools to high-performing peers with similar profiles to share best practice.
Additional measures include the launch of 36 new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, a best practice toolkit, and the continuation of proven strategies such as family engagement activities and weekly enrichment sessions.
The government is also tackling barriers head-on by:
- Encouraging schools to provide enrichment opportunities to make attendance more appealing.
- Limiting branded uniform items to reduce financial pressure.
- Expanding free breakfast clubs so no child starts the day hungry.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson commented:
“We can only deliver opportunity for children in our country if they’re in school, achieving and thriving. That’s why I want every school to play its part in getting attendance back to – and beyond – pre-pandemic levels.
“We’ve already delivered the biggest improvement in attendance in a decade and now we’re building a school system for the future with free breakfast clubs, more mental health support and a curriculum and enrichment offer to match. But we must go further.
“By working jointly with schools to set individual targets, we’re tackling variation head-on. Our best schools already have a brilliant approach to attendance, and now we’re driving that focus everywhere so that all children are supported to attend school and learn.”
These reforms aim to ensure that every child is in school, ready to learn, and equipped for a brighter future.
Image credit: iStock
