Shocking 40% of pupils persistently absent from school in one term

MORE than a quarter of primary school pupils and more than 40% of secondary pupils in Merthyr Tydfil were classed as persistent absentees in the autumn term of this current academic year, according to a council report.

The Welsh Government has changed the definition of persistent absenteeism to pupils whose absence level is more than 10% and this came into effect in September.

Figures in a Merthyr Tydfil Council report show the overall percentage for persistent absentees at the new 90% attendance threshold for primary schools is 27.59% and for secondary schools, it is 42.93%.

The report, for the council’s learning and local government education services scrutiny committee on Monday, March 4, compares autumn term figures for 2022-23 and 2023-24 at the previous 80% persistent absenteeism level and the new threshold.

The overall percentage for persistent absentees at the 80% threshold, meaning pupils whose absence levels are more than 20%, is 7.48% for primary schools, a decrease of 2.71% from 2022-23, and for secondary schools it is 19.26%, a decrease of 3.56%. The report also shows that Merthyr was ranked 17th out of 22 Welsh councils for secondary school attendance in 2022-23, with a figure of 86.3%, compared to the national average of 87.5%.

But the percentage drop across councils from 2018-19 to 2022-23 as a result of Covid saw Merthyr Tydfil have the 11th smallest fall. Also in 2022-23, primary school attendance was ranked 19th out of 22 Welsh councils, with Merthyr at 91% and the national average at 91.5%. It had the eighth smallest percentage drop across councils from 2018-19 to 2022-23.

When comparing attendances during the autumn term from 2021-2023, the data shows secondary attendance was 85.31% in 2021-22, 85.8% in 202223 and 86.5% in 2023-24. For primary schools, autumn term attendance was 89.73% in 2021-22, 90.59% in 2022-23 and 92.08% in 2023-24.

Attendances in years one, five and six were below the primary school average in Merthyr (92.08%) between September and December, while attendances in years eight, nine, 10 and 11 were below the secondary school average (86.5%) during the same period. For looked-after children, attendance for 2022-23 was 90.12% in comparison to 88.23% for other children. Attendance for the autumn term 2023-24 was 88.88%, compared to 89.52% for other children.

The report said: “The persistent absentee data remains a fluctuating picture as more families are booking holidays again since Covid and anxiety and social issues are also a cause for low attendance. With the revised threshold of 90% this will have a significant impact on support and challenge for schools and the local authority due to the volume of pupils and staff capacity.”

It added that fines for school non-attendance were reintroduced in the summer term of 2021-22.