Texting parents could reduce persistent school absence, research finds
Fiona Simpson
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Sending personalised letters and text messages to parents of children who are persistently absent from school could help boost attendance rates, new research shows.
However, despite suggestions that such initiatives can have a positive impact on the attendance of children who frequently miss school, particularly those from marginalised or disadvantaged backgrounds, evidence on how to reduce persistent absenteeism is “weak, with very few studies taking place in English schools”, according to an evidence review by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).
The review looks at the findings from 72 studies that aim to improve pupils’ school attendance and analyses evidence for eight different approaches - including parental engagement, incentives and disincentives, and mentoring – to identify strategies that could help boost attendance.
It finds some evidence of positive results for approaches that focused on engaging with parents.
“In one study with a positive impact on attendance, parents were sent ‘nudge’ letters, which outlined the importance of their child’s attendance to learning and the school community,” the report states.
The review also finds positive impacts for responsive approaches, where schools aim to address the individual causes behind a pupils’ persistent absence.
One example highlighted in the report is where a social worker identifies barriers to attendance and intervenes to overcome them through strategies including assigning an older “walking buddy” for a pupil with high absences due to transport issues.
The report warns that missed attendance as well as fixed and permanent exclusion "not only impacts on students’ attainment, but also on the likelihood of them becoming involved in violence and crime".
"It is also likely that many students with poor attendance or those being excluded from school are from marginalised or vulnerable backgrounds, including those eligible for Pupil Premium funding," it adds.
The EEF has partnered with the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) to build evidence of what works in improving attendance and reducing exclusions through a new round of funding grants for school, charities and other organisations.
The partnership says it will find, fund, and evaluate programmes and practices in England and Wales that could "both keep children safe from involvement in violence and improve academic attainment, by ensuring they attend, positively engage with, and remain in school/college".
The two organisations are seeking applications from schools, charities or other organisations using initiatives that could improve attendance and reduce exclusions.
Applications are now open and will close on Monday 16th May 2022.
Professor Becky Francis, chief executive of the EEF, said: “While the research finds some positive impacts for approaches like engaging with parents and addressing the individual needs of pupils, overall, the evidence on what works for reducing absenteeism is weak.
“Teachers deserve a much clearer picture of how best to support their pupils who are persistently absent. Our new funding round with the Youth Endowment Fund will help fill some of these evidence gaps, by identifying and evaluating promising interventions, programmes, and approaches.”
