A study of 70,000 pupils in England found that one in 10 children missed school in the last six months due to feeling unsafe, with those in certain minority groups more likely to report safety concerns.
According to the research, almost half of pupils attributed feeling unsafe in school to the behaviour of another pupil or a friend, 13 per cent said it was due to a teacher and six per cent said it was down to the actions of another staff member.
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Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts said: “These findings are at once both reassuring and concerning, and should be reflected on by all school leaders to help them devise strategies to close the gaps between different pupil demographics to create safe, inclusive environments in which all pupils can learn and flourish.”
Eduro and the Key, the education specialists who carried out the survey, found that a quarter of all pupils reported feeling “not at all safe”, “not very safe”, or only “fairly safe”. Of those who felt unsafe, 33 per cent reported multiple instances of feeling this way.
Gender identity was found to be a key predictor of feelings of safety. Those who do not identify as male or female were more likely to feel unsafe than their peers, the survey found.
Less than half of these children felt safe at school over the last six months, compared to 75 per cent of girls and 78 per cent of boys, whilst one in four missed school during the same period as a result.
Those with diverse sexualities also reported feeling unsafe more often than their peers. Less than half of gay and bisexual pupils felt safe at school, compared with nearly three quarters of heterosexual pupils.
Despite this, the research found low levels of access to support systems.
Some 61 per cent pupils surveyed say they would, hypothetically, speak to an adult at school, however, just 25 per cent of those who did feel unsafe reported doing so.
In addition to highlighting risk factors around wellbeing and support, the report also raises concerns about the impact of safety on attendance, with those feeling unsafe more likely to report that they had missed school as a result.
According to Edurio and the Key, missing school due to feeling unsafe impacts pupils’ engagement with learning and educational outcomes.
Michael McGarvey, managing director of the Key said: “With the help of this research, it is our intention that these insights can arm policymakers, educators and parents with the necessary information to take effective action to improve safeguarding practices so that together, we can help ensure no child’s education suffers from feeling unsafe.”
The report comes following the announcement of an inquiry into persistent absence and support for disadvantaged children by the Education Select Committee.
The full report is available here.
