The Impact of Lockdown: A Surge in Truancy Rates Among Children Post-Covid by 12% to 1.6 Million
In the wake of the pandemic, the number of schoolchildren regularly missing classes has more than doubled, raising concerns that Covid has normalized truancy. Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner, has issued a dire warning about the attendance crisis, as the number of “persistently absent” children in England has reached 1.6 million. The Department for Education’s “persistence absence” rate measures children missing at least 10% of school, and the latest figures reveal that 22% of pupils fell into this category during the 2022/23 academic year—up from 10.9% prior to the pandemic.
De Souza stressed that these figures represent a significant issue, highlighting fears that the pandemic and teacher strikes have normalized truancy. She also disclosed that of the 1.6 million children, one million are missing school for reasons other than illness.
Seamus Murphy, the CEO of Turner Schools, attributes the disruption of good habits during lockdown to the increase in truancy and criticized parents who allow their children to stay at home on Fridays. Secondary schools saw the highest number of missing pupils, with over a quarter being persistently absent during the 2022/23 academic year. In primary schools, the figure was 17.5%.
During an interview on the Today program, de Souza emphasized the urgency of addressing this problem and called for a more systematic approach. She implored the Education Secretary to prioritize attendance figures and involve all professionals in finding a solution. De Souza argued that truancy imposes significant costs in terms of time and money and must be a national priority.
De Souza also acknowledged that teacher strikes have contributed to the issue, as children realized for the first time during lockdown that schools could close. She urged adults to prioritize getting children back to school and emphasized the value of education.
Seamus Murphy echoed the sentiment that secondary schools face a significant truancy issue and listed several factors contributing to this problem. He attributed the disruption of good habits to Covid, identified the cost of living crisis and stretched services as challenges, and emphasized the impact of weakened partnerships following the pandemic. Murphy also highlighted that the persistent absence group, which constitutes roughly 20% of children, tends to come from chaotic family environments with housing and food insecurity.
In March, while testifying before the Commons Education Select Committee, de Souza suggested that the rise in Friday absences could be attributed to parents working from home. She shared evidence indicating that children felt encouraged to stay home when their parents were present. The government spokesperson acknowledged the improvement in attendance rates since the pandemic but emphasized the ongoing commitment to ensure no child falls through the cracks. Collaborative efforts with schools, trusts, governing bodies, and local authorities are underway to identify and support children at risk of or already experiencing persistent absence.
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