A third of secondary pupils missing school persistently
Almost a third of pupils in Scotland are persistently absent from school, rising to more than 50 per cent in some areas, in a “highly concerning” outcome that Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has branded “not acceptable”.
The official figures for 2022/23 have revealed the true scale of the attendance crisis that has emerged since schools were closed during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Newly published statistics also confirmed there were now more than 1,000 fewer teachers than when the SNP came to power in 2007, and 273 fewer schools, despite pupil numbers rising over the period.
On attendance, a new measurement has been introduced showing “persistent absence” for pupils with an absence rate of 10 per cent or more across the whole school year. The figures for last year show 32.5 per cent of pupils in Scotland fell into this category, including 25.6 per cent of primary school youngsters and 41 per cent in secondaries.
The rate was much higher than in England, where 22.3 per cent of pupils were estimated to be “persistently absent” in 2022/23. Opposition politicians described the statistics as “highly concerning”, while Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said they were “not acceptable”.
Overall, the attendance rate in Scotland was 90.2 per cent last year, having previously remained at about 93 per cent or higher for more than a decade prior to the pandemic.
Both authorised and unauthorised absences increased compared to previous years, including unauthorised holidays, which were described as the “biggest contributor” to a rise in unauthorised absences since 2020/21. The proportion of pupils arriving late was also up.
In January, a major international study found not going to school was as bad for your health as smoking or drinking every day.
Scottish Conservative education spokesman Liam Kerr said: “We know the best place for most children to learn is in the classroom so for one in three pupils to be missing so much time in that environment is deeply alarming. While the SNP insist education is their number one priority, their record is one of persistent failure.”
Liberal Democrat education spokesman Willie Rennie said: “The absence rates are a sign of young people who are disengaged, stressed and distracted.”