Breakfast clubs lead to a big fall in the number of children skipping school

As absenteeism in schools continues to rise, educators are sounding the alarm on its effects on student learning and well-being. Beyond the inevitable reasons for absence such as short-term sickness and holidays, 7 in 10 teachers have witnessed an increase in students missing school over the past year.

The new research from Kellogg’s, carried out to launch its 2024 Breakfast Club Awards, has shown mental health and social anxiety are one of the main factors linked to student’s absenteeism, with 60% of teachers seeing this in their schools. Almost half also say they’ve seen a rise in pupils being absent due to suffering from anxiety about school itself. More than a third of teachers blame absenteeism due to children falling behind during the pandemic and are still struggling to catch up.

The impact of absenteeism extends beyond the individual student, affecting the classroom dynamics and overall school culture, with more than a quarter of the students struggling to maintain a positive atmosphere due to absenteeism.

Aston spoke to teacher and star of Educating Yorkshire Matthew Burton.

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