Secondary school attendance rates have improved with overall absence falling from 12.0% to 10.9% in the 2024/25 academic year, new figures published today show.
These latest figures show progress in tackling persistent absence, with the percentage of secondary school-aged pupils missing more than 10% of sessions falling from 37.1% to 33.0% between 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Raising school attendance is a key commitment. We are working with schools, local authorities and other partners on initiatives to improve engagement, building on the good practice already happening in schools, and continue our attendance focused work via learner focus groups.
Last year, additional funding was announced to help support attendance and re-engagement with school. A further £7m in funding has been made available for this financial year, including £2m for schools to provide their learners with additional enrichment opportunities and an extra £3m for Family Engagement Officers (FEOs). FEOs work directly with schools and families to address attendance barrier and provide targeted support to identify underlying causes of absence and help families access appropriate services and resources.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, said: “I am grateful to see these positive improvements in school attendance across Wales. These improvements reflect dedicated work by schools, family engagement officers, and families to tackle attendance challenges.
“We are moving in the right direction, but there is still work to be done. We will continue to address the barriers that prevent children from attending school regularly to ensure every child has the best possible chance to succeed.”
