Written Question·Department for Education·UIN 105335

Pupils: Absenteeism

Tabled: 13 January 2026
Answered: 29 January 2026

Question

Mrs Elsie Blundell

LabourHeywood and Middleton North

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help reduce the level of school absences among working class students.

Answer

Olivia Bailey
Absence is a key barrier to opportunity. Children need to be in school to achieve and thrive. The government recognises that some pupils, including those eligible for free school meals, face additional barriers to regular attendance. This is why the depar...

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