Written questions

Pupils: Absenteeism

Lords · Question HL11705 · Tabled 10 Nov 2025 · Department for Education · Official record

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question

Asked by Lord Birt

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to reduce persistent absences in schools.

Answer

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern, 24 Nov 2025

Thanks to the work of the sector, persistent absence has fallen to 18.7% in the latest published data. Our world leading data collection and tools enable schools to identify earlier those pupils who are at risk of becoming persistently absent to intervene...