Schools crisis as pupils miss 11.5 million days of learning

Pupils lost 11.5 million days of learning last year as the number missing from classrooms continued to soar. A new study found that truancy isn’t the only problem as there has also been a sharp increase in the number excluded from school.

In addition, more parents than ever are home-schooling their children despite fears that in some cases this mean youngsters are not being educated. The Government has attempted to get children back into the classroom after some of those kept home during lockdowns simply never returned. But research by the Institute for Public Policy Research found the number of missed school days actually rose by 10 per cent between the autumn terms of 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Exclusions are up by over a third in a single year and the number of pupils in home education increased by over 20 per cent between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

A report published today also highlighted concerns that some schools are encouraging parents to keep poor-performing pupils at home, a process known as “off-rolling”, which can appear to improve a school’s performance but can have a devastating affect on youngsters.

Efua Poku-Amanfo, research fellow at IPPR, said: “Children can’t learn if they are not in school or are in some other way lost from the classroom or unaccounted for. Since the pandemic, huge swathes of children have never returned, are being excluded or are mysteriously absent. Without urgent action to tackle lost learning, we risk failing the most disadvantaged children – those who could gain the most from an inclusive education system.”

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Lost learning is impacting a large – and growing – group of children, with those living in poverty being hit the hardest.”

The report called for legislation to monitor whenever a child is moved out of their school, to make sure the Department for Education knows where children are being educated.

The Department for Education’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill returned to Parliament yesterday. It will create a new “Children Not in School” register in every local authority in England, so local authorities can identify all children not in school in their area and ensure they are receiving a suitable education.