Recent reports in the UK reveal troubling trends in school attendance, widening attainment gaps, and insufficient support for disadvantaged students and those with special educational needs, underscoring systemic challenges in the education sector.
In recent studies across the UK, concerning trends in school attendance, educational attainment, and support for disadvantaged and special educational needs students have been highlighted, indicating significant challenges within the education system.
From September, new government guidelines could see around 20% of schoolchildren in the UK facing fines for missing school. Research by FFT Education Datalab suggests that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs are more likely to be fined under these new rules, which penalize pupils missing ten or more half days in a ten-week period. The penalties have been increased from £60 to £80. A study found that over 40% of disadvantaged year ten pupils are at risk of these fines, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on certain student groups. Last year, councils raised over £19 million in fines, signaling a stricter enforcement policy post-pandemic.
Furthermore, the Education Policy Institute and Renaissance Learning reported a growing attainment gap in mathematics among primary school pupils in England, with disadvantaged children falling further behind their peers since the start of the pandemic. The attainment gap widened from 6.9 to 8.7 months, with an average of four months of lost learning in secondary schools and two months in primary schools. This decline in maths outcomes has been exacerbated by cuts in support and the discontinuation of the national tutoring programme aimed at education recovery.
Additionally, a report from the charity Ambitious About Autism revealed a significant increase in school absenteeism among autistic pupils in England. The charity reported a 166% increase in pupils missing substantial parts of the school term, with over a quarter of autistic children being persistently absent. This situation is attributed to unmet mental health needs and a lack of adequate support, further evidenced by lengthy delays in receiving necessary assistance for these pupils.
These findings call attention to the broader systemic issues facing the UK education system, including the impact of poverty, mental health issues, and the adequacy of support for vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils.
