Bridging the attendance gap – continuing persistent absence amongst pupils with SEND

Emma Sanderson, Managing Director of Options Autism, a specialist provider of education for neurodivergent pupils and those with complex needs, explores the reasons behind the continuing high levels of persistent absence amongst pupils with special educational needs.

The attendance gap is widening. While overall absence rates are gradually declining, they still remain higher than pre-pandemic levels, with rates among disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) showing a slower decline.

According to government analysis of data from charities such as Ambitious about Autism, over 25% of autistic children in England – around 51,000 out of 200,000 pupils – are persistently absent, meaning they miss 10% or more of school. In state secondary schools, nearly 20,000 autistic children are persistently absent, with four out of five of these pupils experiencing mental health challenges.

Schools face increased scrutiny over attendance rates, with the word ‘attendance’ appearing approximately 1.7 times per 1,000 words in inspection reports this year, as per SchoolDash analysis – the highest rate since early 2017.

The government is also tightening its attendance expectations, requiring all state schools to submit daily attendance data to the Department for Education (DfE). Its new National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence, launched in August 2024, seeks to improve consistency in the use of penalty notices across England, along with increases to unauthorised absence fines for parents, from £60 to £80, with a 28-day grace period before the fine doubles to £160.

Current government strategies suggest pupils actively choose to avoid school, but for many with SEN, they are forced into absenteeism, because their educational and mental health needs are not being met. Persistent absenteeism is often exacerbated by emotionally based school avoidance, commonly associated with unaddressed anxiety and difficulties in adapting to school environments. Cuts in school budgets and funding means support for neurodiverse pupils is dwindling.

Due to the current issues with the SEND system, many pupils are forced to stay out of school while their families battle local council decisions on school placements or support entitlement. This leads to prolonged periods of missed education and a real struggle to reintegrate when provision is found. Equally, it can have a significant impact on a young person’s mental health, which in turn leads to absence.

I often speak to parents who have had to give up their careers in order to home educate, whilst suitable provision or mental health intervention is found for their child. How will increased fines or letters home change this?

High attendance rates reflect when a child’s needs are effectively supported at school. To achieve meaningful improvements in our education system, it’s essential we focus on equipping schools with the resources necessary to meet the needs of all pupils.