Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in pupil absences from school on Fridays due to parents working from home, according to the children’s commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza. She reported to the Education Select Committee that analysis of attendance data before and after the pandemic reveals a trend of Friday absences which did not previously exist. De Souza stated that there are “slightly different attitudes” from parents following the lockdowns and called for more effort to improve attendance, emphasising the importance of school for education, safeguarding, mental health, and social activities. The commissioner also expressed concern about the persistence of high levels of absenteeism, which she attributed to pupils having unmet educational needs, as well as anxiety and mental health issues. Additionally, disengagement with education has been observed, with some parents feeling uncertain about managing social media and gaming addictions, while Amanda Spielman of the education watchdog Ofsted warned that some families have “lost sight” of the expectation that children attend school in person.
Parents working from home cause more Friday absences among pupils.
