Britains School Absence Crisis Threatens Economic Future

School absences in England have soared to unprecedented levels since the pandemic, with worrying implications for the future of both the nation’s workforce and its economy. In Bradford, the transformation at Hanson Academy epitomises the challenges and possible solutions facing the education system. When Sam Sheedy became headteacher in 2023, he inherited a school notorious for truancy and misbehaviour, illustrated by pupils tunnelling under perimeter fences to escape lessons. Despite tough security measures, absences persisted. At one point, more than 60 percent of pupils missed school for the equivalent of a day every other week, with one in five absent for half their lessons weekly.

Across England, Department for Education data from summer 2024 shows nearly 173,000 pupils were absent more often than present—almost three times the pre-pandemic figure. Today’s students miss an average of 14 school days a year compared to fewer than nine before lockdown. Persistent unauthorised absence, suspensions and permanent exclusions continue to climb, compounding concerns. Nearly 11,000 children were permanently excluded from state schools last year; suspensions surged by over a fifth to 955,000 in 2023–24.

Disengagement from school brings lifelong economic costs. Persistent absence more than doubles the risk that pupils will claim benefits as adults, and those missing over half their lessons are more than four times as likely to depend on state support. Earnings are also affected: teenagers who missed half their lessons, according to Department for Education research, earn £21,000 less by age 28 than those attending regularly. Children suspended even once are almost twice as likely to be drawing benefits by age 24. The Centre for Social Justice predicts that around 190,000 pupils will become NEETs—not in employment, education or training—during this parliament due to persistent absence, with an estimated burden of £14 billion to taxpayers.

The causes are manifold. Lockdowns altered perceptions of education and work, eroding trust between families and schools. Parents who found school a negative experience themselves are now less likely to enforce attendance for their children. Some now see attendance as optional, a belief reinforced by changing work patterns and reduced expectations. A Friday ‘culture’ of truancy has developed, coinciding with remote working by parents.

Many schools are adapting their approach. At Hanson Academy, Sheedy focused on building positive relationships with pupils and their families, aiming to foster a sense of belonging rather than simply enforcing attendance through sanctions. Interventions included practical curriculum enhancements and ensuring barriers such as uniforms were addressed. Improved data sharing between schools has allowed earlier identification and support for at-risk pupils. The results at Hanson are compelling: severe absenteeism halved in one academic year, and unauthorised absences dropped by a third.

Policy leaders now recognise the urgent need to repair the social contract between families, communities and schools. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, describes school absence rates as both a symptom and a catalyst of wider societal challenges. Strengthening attendance is not merely about better classroom discipline; it is a foundation for economic resilience and social cohesion. The lessons from Bradford demonstrate that while the crisis is profound, targeted and collaborative interventions are capable of reversing damaging trends—offering hope that Britain can avoid the looming costs of a lost generation.