A study of persistent absenteeism in the UK

Absence from school has continued to rise in England in recent years, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19, especially among disadvantaged pupils and those in Years 7-11. The reasons for absenteeism are varied and include fear of the epidemic, the inconvenience of school amalgamation, the pressures of urban life leading to family relocation, declining teacher quality and breakdown of trust between parents and teachers, parental dissatisfaction with the curriculum, and psychological reasons for students. In order to deal with this problem, this paper puts forward recommendations at the government, school, and family levels: the government should increase investment in education and pay attention to disadvantaged families; schools need to communicate with parents and optimize the curriculum; and families should pay attention to their children's education and cooperate with schools. Through these measures, we hope to have some help with the problem of persistent absenteeism.