Deteriorating pupil wellbeing is likely to be a major factor influencing school attendance, according to new research, with increased social media use and online bullying linked to the decline.
Persistent absence rates in English secondary schools more than doubled following the Covid-19 pandemic, rising from 13.7 per cent in the 2018/19 academic year to 27.7 per cent in 2021/22.
The new research shows schools are investing significant time and resources into improving attendance, using approaches including pastoral support, curriculum and timetable adjustments and specialist provision. Yet despite these efforts, nearly a quarter of secondary school pupils remained persistently absent in 2024/25 (23.4 per cent).
The study, conducted by the NFER and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, explores the relationship between pupil wellbeing and attendance through case study research in 10 mainstream secondary schools, with a survey sent to all parents and carers at the schools.
It defines wellbeing by using the PISA framework, which covers how pupils feel about everyday life, and whether they feel safe, happy, and supported.
School staff reported having growing concerns about pupil wellbeing since the pandemic, while more than half (51 per cent) of surveyed parents and carers identified poor wellbeing as a key factor behind rising absence rates.
Parents and carers linked declining wellbeing to increased mobile phone and social media use (66 per cent), greater awareness of mental health symptoms (41 per cent), difficulties accessing support services (37 per cent) and bullying (35 per cent). Pupils also highlighted online bullying as a factor affecting both wellbeing and attendance.
According to the research, temporary time away from school may provide some pupils with short-term relief. But prolonged absence can have a negative impact on wellbeing and make returning to school more challenging. This can create a cycle in which poor wellbeing and low attendance reinforce one another.
The report calls on policymakers to ensure that family support, mental health services and other public services are adequately resourced to work alongside schools. It also recommends continued investment in attendance staff, interventions and school infrastructure to help schools meet the needs of all pupils.
NFER Senior Research Manager, Dr Emma Moore, said:
"Improving attendance is not simply about getting pupils through the school gates. Our research highlights the close relationship between wellbeing and attendance. Poor wellbeing can make it harder for pupils to attend school, while prolonged absence can make it more difficult for pupils to reconnect with school. This is a complex cycle to break.
"Schools are investing considerable time and resources in helping pupils overcome barriers to attendance, but many of the factors influencing absence extend beyond the school’s influence. Supporting attendance requires a coordinated approach that brings together schools, families and wider services to address pupils' needs."
Nuffield Foundation Programme Head, Ruth Maisey, 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.”
Further findings:
- Attendance is often influenced by a combination of interconnected factors, including pupil, school, family and local circumstances, rather than a single cause.
- Pupils viewed poor wellbeing and mental health as legitimate reasons for absence, often feeling that the academic and social pressures of school negatively affected their wellbeing.
- Positive relationships matter most. Parents, carers and pupils consistently identified supportive relationships and communication as having a greater impact than specific interventions alone
Recommendations for government include:
- Alongside school-led efforts to improve attendance, ensure that wider public services—such as local authorities, family support and mental health provision—are adequately resourced and staffed to work in partnership with schools.
Monitor the impact of proposed social media restrictions for under-16s on school attendance.
Recommendations for schools include:
- Adopt a curious and supportive approach to persistent absence, focusing on understanding pupils' needs and building positive relationships with pupils and their families.
- Address the impact of bullying, including online bullying, on pupil wellbeing and attendance, and continue to prioritise creating a safe and supportive school environment.