Priced out of school: how lack of money prevents young people from attending school

In recent years, improving school attendance has been a top priority for policymakers in every nation of the UK. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated a rise in the number of children and young people missing school on a regular basis and although the latest data shows that average attendance levels are beginning to improve, progress is slow, and some groups still remain below pre-pandemic levels. Persistent absence – defined as missing 10 per cent or more school sessions each term – is more common among children eligible for free school meals, and rates increase as children grow older, with the highest absence rates among children attending secondary school.

We wanted to hear directly from young people aged 11-18 about the extent to which lack of money plays a role in attendance at school. This new research shows that lack of money itself prevents children from attending school. It also shows that children in lower income households are more likely to face sanctions, such as being sent home from school, for not having what they need, which further impacts on the amount of time they spend learning.