Schools continue to face attendance challenges in Summer term
Attendance figures released this week show slight increases in school absences in June, according to the DfE’s latest attendance data released earlier this week.
Attendance in all state-funded schools was at 89.4% on the 23rd June, down from 91.5% on the 9th June. Workforce absences also increased, with 6.5% of teachers and school leaders, and 5.5% of teaching assistants and other staff, absent on the 23rd June. This is up from 5.5% and 5% on the 9th June.
The preliminary results from the Schools North East June 2022 ‘State of the Region’ survey show a similar picture for the North East. Our ‘State of the Region’ surveys ask the same set of core questions every term (as well as additional questions where relevant) to get a snapshot across an academic year of the situation in North East schools, and to see how key issues are developing. Just over three quarters of schools had student attendance levels above 90%.
While it is encouraging that attendance levels are not declining dramatically, avoiding the high levels of disruption seen in the North East in the Summer term 2021, the majority of schools are still experiencing higher levels of absences than usual.
Schools are similarly continuing to face higher than usual levels of staff absences. Almost two thirds of schools said that they are struggling to access supply staff to adequately cover these absences.
Despite the ongoing challenges of attendance for both students and staff, the disruption caused by attendance is decreasing. Our preliminary findings show significant improvements in staff wellbeing across the academic year.
Our State of the Region June 2022 survey is still open for responses. The feedback we receive from our surveys is crucial in ensuring that the voice of North East schools is heard by policymakers, especially on our exam work over the summer. It is important that we have as wide a range of responses as possible, so if you haven’t already done so, please fill in our survey at the following link.
