Exclusions and suspensions in 2025/26
An update to our regular series using attendance data to gauge the rate of exclusion and suspension in the whole of the 2025/26 academic year.
The reading fluency of White working class pupils
The Inquiry into White working class educational outcomes recommended making reading fluency at primary school a national priority for White working class children. We dig into the data from the Reading Assessment Programme to analyse fluency among this group.
Key Stage 2 attainment, lifetime absence and context
We look at the relationship between Key Stage 2 attainment and absence over (almost) the whole of primary school but also show the importance of considering context when interpreting attainment data alongside absence data.
Are DfE right to ditch confidence intervals?
DfE are proposing a change to the way they calculate bandings that summarise schools' progress scores. We look at the pros and cons of doing so.
The inverse intervention law and education, health and care plans
Disadvantaged pupils resident in less deprived local authorities are more likely to have an EHCP than disadvantaged pupils resident in more deprived local authorities
What will it take to meet the government’s ambition for 90% of pupils to achieve the expected standard in Year 1 phonics?
80% of pupils currently achieve the phonics standard by the end of Year 1. We look at how challenging it will be to reach 90%.
How many pupils really are severely absent?
Is it right to say that there were over 170 thousand children who were severely absent in 2023/24?
Is the start of term critical for tackling persistent absence?
Absence at the start of term is no more predictive of persistent absence than at any other time of year.
Usage of new attendance codes: An update
New statutory guidance for schools in relation to recording and managing attendance (and absence) came into effect in September last year. We take a look at the use of codes to record absences in attendance registers.