Here’s how much money ditching a day of school in the UK could cost you
Children across England are returning to school in record numbers, with over five million more days in classrooms this year – signalling the biggest year-on-year improvement in attendance for a decade.
New figures show more than 140,000 fewer pupils are persistently absent compared to last year, as the government’s relentless focus on tackling the inherited school attendance crisis begins to pay dividends.
Of those, 45,000 are young people from deprived backgrounds, reflecting particular improvement among disadvantaged children.
The dramatic improvement means teachers have saved over 10,000 days that would have been spent helping absent pupils catch up, freeing them to focus on delivering excellent education to whole classes.
The cost of ditching school
Government data shows that spending more time in school boosts learning outcomes for children, but it’s also about making friends and having new experiences, helping them to achieve and thrive. It also has a huge impact on children’s future chances in life.
With a single day out of school costing an estimated £750 in lost earnings across the course of a career for a typical student, this year’s progress alone will protect over £2 billion in pupils’ future earnings and build the skilled workforce needed to drive economic growth.
With fewer children missing crucial learning, pupils are more likely to develop the consistent study habits, knowledge and social skills that will serve them whether they progress to apprenticeships, colleges or universities.
“The record improvement in school attendance shows we are turning the tide on a crisis that saw a generation go missing from England’s schools,” said Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
“Getting children back in classrooms, where they belong, is non-negotiable if we are to break the unfair link between background and success so we can build a fairer country – a cornerstone of our Plan for Change.
“When we tackle attendance head-on, everyone benefits – pupils get the consistent education they deserve, teachers can focus on driving up standards, and we build the stronger workforce our economy needs.”
