The growth in the attainment gap between poorer 16-year-olds and their better-off peers between 2019 and 2023 can be 鈥渆ntirely explained鈥 by higher absences for disadvantaged pupils, new research suggests. A report by the found absences were a 鈥渒ey, and growing, driver of the disadvantage gap鈥. The think tank said its report was the 鈥渇irst to quantify the role of pupil absence as a driver of the disadvantage gap and how this changed since 2019鈥. Had poorer pupils had the same level of absence as their peers in 2023, the attainment gap 鈥渨ould have been almost one month smaller at age 11 and over four months smaller at age 16鈥. In 2023, poorer year 11 pupils were 19.2 months behind their peers, up 0.5 months since 2019. The report also found that at all key stages, at least half of the attainment gap is explained by gaps that open at an early age. ‘Disturbing’ Natalie Perera, the EPI鈥檚 chief executive, said the report鈥檚 findings were 鈥渄isturbing鈥. 鈥淭oday’s report casts a harsh light on the impact of under-investment in education and wider children’s services. Natalie Perera 鈥淎 lack of early intervention and the inability of many families to access adequate SEND and mental health support for their children have led to an unacceptable and unnecessary widening of inequalities.鈥 Chris Paterson, co-CEO at the Education Endowment Foundation, said the report 鈥渁cts as a stark reminder of the significant barriers faced by many disadvantaged pupils. 鈥淥ur own research has found that three-quarters of schools identified poor attendance as the biggest challenge to disadvantaged pupils鈥 attainment. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 findings reinforce just how deeply poor attendance is contributing to the attainment gap, making it even harder for disadvantaged pupils to reach their full potential.鈥 Pupils ‘already 4.6 months behind’ when starting school The report examined changes in the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers between 2019 and 2023. It used the national pupil database, and looked at the attainment of pupils based on different characteristics and absence rates. It found disadvantaged children were already 4.6 months behind when starting school. The EPI said poverty was the main reason for this inequality. 鈥淭his is not just a story of post-pandemic spikes in illness absence. It is unauthorised absence that is of key concern, particularly at secondary school,鈥 said the report. 鈥淲ithout an effective strategy for tackling pupil absence, policymakers鈥 efforts to narrow the disadvantage gap will be limited.鈥 Almost 60 per cent of disadvantage gaps among 11-year-olds had already emerged by the time the pupils were seven, the EPI said. The gap then widened by 0.5 months at age 16 between 2019 and 2023. Absences 鈥渁ccount for the entire increase in the gap since 2019鈥 and may be symptomatic of other factors, such as declining mental health. Gender gaps narrow Gender gaps at GCSE have narrowed by 3.2 months, with boys substantially narrowing the gap. The EPI said while this was positive it also reflected the 鈥渟lower progress鈥 girls make during secondary school. The report recommended increasing the early years pupil premium to match pupil premiums in later schools year, prioritising training in child development, and absence strategies to include improved SEND support. The report also recommended a pupil premium for students aged 16 to 19 to help address the 鈥渃liff-edge鈥 in funding for disadvantaged students. It also backed calls to introduce auto-enrolment for free school meals, re-introduce targets to reduce child poverty and abolish the two child limit benefit cap. Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said the report鈥檚 findings were 鈥渘o surprise鈥. 鈥淲e welcome the government鈥檚 commitments to improving attendance and reducing the attainment gap. 鈥淗owever, this will only be possible if it addresses the fundamental issues of child poverty and SEND as well as curriculum, assessment and accountability reform, and significantly increase school funding.鈥 Pepe Di鈥橧asio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned improving attendance 鈥渃annot be the sole responsibility of schools. 鈥淭oo often, the burden of ensuring children attend school falls entirely on teachers and leaders, who are then held accountable for absences beyond their control. 鈥淲ithout a broader system of support, it is extremely difficult for schools to drive meaningful change in attendance rates.鈥 A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: 鈥淭his government inherited a system with a number of baked-in inequalities, and this report is further evidence that the absence epidemic is having a detrimental impact on children鈥檚 learning and their future success.聽Getting more pupils attending school regularly is a top priority for the government. 鈥淭hrough our Plan for Change we are focused on tackling the root causes of absence. This includes supporting disadvantaged pupils to achieve and thrive by establishing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, providing mental health support in every secondary school and driving up standards through our new regional improvement teams. 鈥淐ombined, these measures will ensure every child gets the best life chances, no matter their background.鈥
Linda Vaux 22 March 2025 Absence plays a part,of course it does. But poverty and deprivation plays a much much bigger one..
Mrs Purdie 22 March 2025 This . When they come up with these reports, they miss the part where parents who were brought up in poverty, educated to a standard that would mean they would be suitable for lower paid work and not to a standard to aspire for more. Their children suffer the same fate, more inclined to misbehave, schools off roll them and the cycle continues.