Online bullying over social media could be linked to school absence
The increasing cost of holidays outside of term time and keeping children home for minor illnesses were highlighted as other factors.
Online bullying over social media could be linked to declining school attendance rates, according to a study.
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) found pupils, parents and schools feel the wellbeing of students is a “major factor” behind rising absence rates since the pandemic.
The increasing cost of holidays outside of term time and keeping children home for minor illnesses were highlighted as other contributors.
The Government has, in the wake of the study, been urged to revisit issuing fines for non-attendance, which the research found were generally considered to be unhelpful.
Rates of persistent absence – which means missing 10% or more of classes – more than doubled after the pandemic in English secondary schools, rising from 13.7% in the academic year 2018-19 to 27.7% in 2021-22, and stood at 23.4% in 2024-25.
The NFER used 10 mainstream secondary schools as case studies – interviewing parents and carers, senior leaders and pupils who had been persistently absent – and also conducted a survey of almost 400 parents and carers from eight of the schools.
School staff generally reported an increase in pupil wellbeing concerns since the pandemic, which they believed was linked to falling attendance, the report said.
Just over half of parents and carers surveyed (51%) identified poor pupil mental health or wellbeing as one of the main reasons they thought school absence rates have increased, while 52% selected the higher cost of holidays outside of term time.
The polling also saw 66% of respondents attributing the reported decline in pupil wellbeing to increased mobile phone and social media use as pupils in focus groups suggested increased bullying online has contributed.
Pupils were also found to view taking time off because of poor mental health or wellbeing as legitimate, as did 67% of surveyed parents.
But school staff “frequently” stressed the benefits of going to school for wellbeing.
The NFER recommended the Government monitor the impact of the social media ban for under-16s, announced last month by Sir Keir Starmer, on attendance.
It also suggested politicians carefully consider the use of fines, ensure wider public services such as family support and mental health provision are adequately resourced and able to work with schools, and ensure sufficient funding for attendance staff and interventions.
For schools, it recommended that creating a safe and supportive environment remain a priority, taking into account the impact of bullying, and advised a “curious and supportive mindset” when dealing with cases of persistent absence.
Ruth Maisey, from the Nuffield Foundation, which funded the research, said: “It is striking that families consistently identified supportive relationships and communication as having the most positive impact on pupil absence.
“In contrast, fines were considered counterproductive for tackling absences related to health or wellbeing because they place strain on the relationships that schools are working to build.
“The Government may therefore want to revisit this aspect of policy, particularly since fines were also considered to be insufficient to deter holiday related absences.”
School leaders’ union NAHT said it has “long argued” fines are a “blunt instrument” which fail to address the root causes of absence.
“There is now an opportunity for the new Government to rethink its use of fines and better support the hard work schools already do to encourage attendance,” general secretary Paul Whiteman said.
The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.