Improving attendance in secondary schools: an update on progress

In May 2025, Estyn published an update to their January 2024 thematic report on attendance in secondary schools. Updated information includes references to current attendance levels, information on inspections which include a recommendation to improve attendance and new and refreshed case studies.

The report includes two new and one extended recommendation for the Welsh Government. Recommendations for schools and local authorities remain unchanged. This thematic review was not formally commissioned by the Cabinet Secretary as part of Estyn’s 2023 to 2024 remit.

The key findings of the report

Overall improvements

• There has been a slight increase in attendance: Secondary school attendance rose by 1.1 percentage points compared to the same period last year, now at 89%.
• Despite this, attendance remains below pre-pandemic levels, indicating ongoing challenges.

Disadvantaged pupils

• Attendance for pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) is 81.1%, showing persistent concern.
• The gap between FSM and non-FSM pupils is narrowing, but progress is slow.

Effective school practices

Schools that have improved attendance:

• address attendance as a whole-school priority
• implement new strategies to attain a positive impact
• adapt approaches based on ongoing evaluation

Persistent challenges

• Transport barriers: Pupils living within a three-mile radius of school do not qualify for free transport, disproportionately affecting FSM pupils.
• Year 11 attendance dips during exam season, as pupils opt to stay home to revise.
• Local authority (LA) support is inconsistent:
  • Some LAs do not issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs), limiting schools’ ability to challenge poor attendance.
  • The impact of LA interventions varies widely across Wales.

Data limitations

• Current attendance data from Welsh Government does not provide the level of detail needed to assess performance across pupil groups and year levels:
  • Schools cannot easily compare attendance across year groups or pupil categories.
  • This limits schools’ ability to evaluate interventions and identify required improvements.

Updated recommendations for the Welsh Government

Updates to January 2024 Estyn recommendations have been made to item 2. Items 1 and 9 are new recommendations.

1. Work with local authorities to ensure clear targets for improving attendance are set and agreed with schools, local authorities and Welsh Government. (new)
2. Develop a national campaign to promote the importance of good attendance. In particular, work with pupils to develop their understanding of the importance of regular attendance. (updated)
3. Consider how pupils living within the three-mile radius who are not eligible for free transport could be better supported to attend school more regularly.
4. Publish core data sets for attendance twice a year, including regression analysis, residuals for persistent absenteeism and year group attendance to better support schools’ own evaluation processes.
5. Continue to provide weekly analysis of school level attendance to provide more frequent information and improve the quality of this data.
6. Consider how funding can be allocated more effectively to support schools to improve attendance.
7. Consider how reform of the school year might better support pupils to attend school more regularly.
8. Carry out research to identify the factors impacting on poor attendance and to discover the most effective methods of improving attendance.
9. Work with local authorities to consider how to mitigate the impact of examinations on overall school attendance rates. (new)

Welsh Government response

Recommendation 1: work with local authorities to ensure clear targets for improving attendance are set and agreed with schools, local authorities and Welsh Government

Accept. Our guidance on improving learner engagement and attendance, Belonging, engaging and participating, is clear good attendance is considered to be 95%. That is to say, learners who attend 95% or more of their sessions of education have good attendance. Persistent absence is defined within our data collection as being when a learner misses 10% or more of their sessions of education.

We will work with schools, local authorities and social partners to provide more information and support on how schools can achieve good attendance levels. This will need to recognise that schools are all starting from different places, and that there are multiple and complex reasons for absence.

In particular, we acknowledge the potential for a sector led improvement approach which could enable schools, local authorities and the Welsh Government to co-design and implement a shared framework for progressive improvement. This approach would also support the development of clear expectations and a structured pathway for change, while allowing for flexibility to reflect local contexts. Crucially, any future approach must be underpinned by a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.

It is vital that due consideration is awarded to learners with specific needs, including those with medical conditions or mental health challenges such as anxiety, whose circumstances may extend beyond the direct influence of the school setting. The setting out of expectations and ambitions should be done in a way that does not adversely impact on learner or staff wellbeing. This work will be aligned with wider Welsh Government priorities around wellbeing, learner voice, and inclusive education.

Recommendation 2: develop a national campaign to promote the importance of good attendance. In particular, work with pupils to develop their understanding of the importance of regular attendance

Partially accept. This updated recommendation was partially accepted in the original report, acknowledging the need for a nuanced, evidence-informed approach. We remain firmly committed to gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying factors and behaviours contributing to non-attendance. This includes ongoing, targeted engagement with both learners and parents carers to develop a tailored communications strategy.

Based on engagement to date, work is already underway to develop a comprehensive resource pack for schools. This will ensure consistent messaging and provide practical tools for schools to use with parents.

The resource pack will be complemented by the work of family engagement officers, who play a vital role in bridging the gap between schools and families, fostering trust and promoting positive attendance behaviours.

This work will be closely aligned to a broader cross-sector communications campaign, following the National Behaviour Summit, targeting learners, families, practitioners, and wider stakeholders, reinforcing the shared commitment to improving attendance through supportive, inclusive, and proactive approaches.

Recommendation 9: work with local authorities to consider how to mitigate the impact of examinations on overall school attendance rates

Accept. This recommendation is closely aligned with ongoing co-construction work led by the Welsh Government to review and refine existing guidance on school attendance codes. Future updates to the guidance will be shaped by the outcomes of a forthcoming consultation exercise, to ensure that any future revisions are evidence-informed and practically applicable. 

In parallel, the work of a dedicated Ministerial Advisory Group on Attendance, Behaviour and Wellbeing will play a pivotal role in informing and supporting the development of a coherent and integrated approach to attendance policy. This group brings together expertise across the education and health sectors to ensure that future developments are responsive to the wider wellbeing needs of learners. These work strands will contribute to a more consistent, supportive, and inclusive framework for managing attendance across Wales.

The full report can be accessed on Estyn’s website, and was published on 22 May 2025.