It has been long understood that deprivation and poverty can be barriers to a student’s attendance at school. The upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis which followed can help explain why school attendance has increased alongside rates of child poverty. Government figures from 2021 show there were 4.3 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2019/20, equivalent to 31% of children. Families in poverty can face many socio-economic barriers which can impact a child’s attendance, with uniform requirements, transport, food poverty and housing being some of the notable factors.
An average of nine children out of a class of thirty experiencing poverty, according to Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). Furthermore, an estimated 47% of primary school students have experienced financial hardship at some point in the school year. With these current trends, it is clear that schools are increasingly becoming the frontline in seeing the impact of child poverty.
School Uniform
Families facing poverty may struggle to purchase and replace school uniform, particularly in cases where a school’s uniform costs are high. According to the Department for Education (DfE), students from lower income families are more likely to be absent from school because they own a smaller number of uniform items which require washing during the week. The DfE published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms which aims to “ensure the cost of school uniforms is reasonable and secures the best value for money.” CPAG have noted these changes encourage schools to require fewer branded uniform items which enables families to use cheaper suppliers. The King’s Speech in July of this year also included the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, with the government intending to amend the law so the number of branded items of uniform and PE kits a school can require is more limited.
Attendance is also known to drop on non-uniform or dressing up days. While these days intend to bring enjoyment to students, they can involve financial costs and put social pressures on children. Non-uniform days can therefore impact attendance for students, particularly for those from low-income families. The DfE highlighted the experiences of two students during non-uniform days:
“Some people in class ask why you don’t have a Christmas jumper” (Student, aged 9).
“I would change all the non-uniform days because people get asked if that’s the only clothes they have. It makes them feel upset and disappointed” (Student, aged 10).
Transport to and from school
Findings from a CPAG project show that transport costs can also be a barrier for students arriving to school in time for lessons. They noted that students who struggled to arrive on time tended to live further away or live with different family members during the week. CPAG note schools experience increasing instances where parents report they don’t have enough money to send their child to school. Some children are also typically late to school on days when social security benefits are paid since they must wait until bus fare money is available.
Food poverty
Students arriving to school hungry is widely understood to impact their ability to engage in learning, behave appropriately and maintain good school attendance. Around two-thirds of school staff have reported seeing a substantial increase in students arriving to school hungry or tired over the past two years according to TES. A report from FareShare highlights this issue, noting that 28% of teachers across England have brought in food for pupils in the 2024 summer term and over a third of schools provide food support, including the use of foodbanks. A report into persistent absence and support for disadvantaged students by the House of Commons Education Committee noted the cost-of-living crisis has placed significant financial demands placed on families particularly in terms of the costs of uniform and public transport fares. They reported parents are focusing on feeding their children and “given a choice of food or school, food wins.” Given these shocking findings, the impact of food poverty on a student attendance is likely to be significant and requires serious consideration by school leaders when offering attendance support to families.
Homelessness and housing
School-Home Support is a national charity that aims to address the root causes of high absence rates through whole-family support. The charity notes that unsuitable housing, or poor housing where there is no space to study or complete homework, can make it challenging for pupils to engage with their studies and attend school regularly. A School-Home Support report in 2023 identified housing as one of the top three presenting issues for young people who are referred for attendance support. Another report from the Child and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition echoes these findings by stating at the end of June 2023, 139,000 homeless children were living in temporary accommodation. Temporary housing can be a catalyst for mental health problems, which are in turn detrimental to school attendance.
Period poverty
Survey data from 1,000 girls and young women aged 14-21 released by Plan International UK showed one in ten girls can’t afford to buy menstrual products, while one in seven have struggled to afford them in the past. Periods are being increasingly recognised as a barrier to attendance for many, caused in part by the cost of period products. Findings from Plan International UK highlight more than a third of those missing part of or a whole school day due to their period say they struggled to catch up on schoolwork. 34% of these students cited concerns about leaking and period anxiety as the reason they did not attend school.
What can schools do to mitigate the impact of poverty on student attendance?
Uniform policies
DfE guidance on developing a school uniform policy states if a school’s uniform is too expensive, it can place unreasonable burdens on families and uniform cost should never be a barrier to a student attending school. The DfE’s statutory guidance therefore requires schools to consider the total cost of uniform accounting for all items of the uniform families will need to provide for their child. It also states information on second-hand uniforms should be clear for parents of current and prospective students and should be published on the school website.
When developing a uniform policy, schools should engage with parents and students and consider their views in determining the final policy.
Attendance and punctuality policies
It is important schools maintain accurate registers, and so late marks and number of minutes late should be recorded regardless of the reason for lateness. However, the school’s punctuality policy should show some consideration for a student’s reason for lateness in terms of issuing sanctions.
Breakfast clubs
Breakfast clubs are increasingly being used by schools to help support their students. This provision encourages students to attend school on time as well as aiming to give them an improved start to their school day. Research undertaken by Magic Breakfast highlights parents who recognise breakfast club as helping to get their child on time for school regularly because their children want to attend. 9% of pupils aged 11-14 said they attended breakfast club because it helps them get to school on time. Magic Breakfast’s annual measuring and monitoring survey identified 78% of school respondents agreed breakfast has a positive impact on attendance.
“One particular student had very poor attendance at school. They were specially invited to breakfast club by the school and since attending they have been able to build friendship networks and receive support from staff in the morning which they previously hadn’t had access to. This has led to a significant improvement in their attendance” — Linda*, Magic Breakfast Partner School Teacher, West Midlands
It is important breakfast clubs are accessible to the school’s most vulnerable children; therefore, schools should consider how breakfast is delivered. For example, a ‘grab and go’ breakfast bagel for students who arrive late might help support the harder-to-reach students.
Findings from the Education Endowment Foundation in 2019 found schools offering breakfast to students have been found to have 26 fewer half days of absence per year in a class of 30, compared to those who don’t offer breakfast.
“The breakfast provision has ensured that children who were often late and hungry are now well fed and ready to learn.” David*, Magic Breakfast Partner School Teacher, London.
Period products
The DfE have a period product scheme which provides free period products to girls and women in state-maintained schools. However, Government statistics this year have shown less than half (48%) of educational organisations in Greater Manchester have taken advantage of this scheme, which reflects the national picture of uptake. By simply utilising this scheme, schools can offer period products to its students and in turn promote the attendance of girls at school.
The lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the following cost-of-living crisis are being felt by families, students, and schools across the UK. This financial hardship is contributing to the challenges we are seeing in maintaining good attendance in our schools. It’s therefore important school staff encourage parents and students to share their concerns about the financial barriers to participation in any aspect of school. Staff should aim to create an inclusive school culture where parents and students feel comfortable seeking support from school professionals free from judgement.
One Education’s Attendance Team are available to advise schools in supporting their students and families in poverty. This might involve developing socioeconomically inclusive policies, introducing a breakfast club, or improving its reach to the most vulnerable families and supporting schools during difficult conversations with families.
More information & resources
Department for Education:
Other sources
CPAG: Affordable school uniforms: a guide
FareShare: Teachers forced to bring in food for hungry students as schools struggle to cope
House of Commons Education Committee: Persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils
Plan International UK: Break the barriers: girls’ experiences of menstruation in the UK
School-Home Support: Poor housing is a major barrier to school attendance for young people in England
TES Magazine:
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