More than 3,000 pupils in Richmond were persistently absent from school in autumn 2024, new figures from the Department for Education reveal.

The data shows 3,165 students across the borough missed at least 10% of school sessions between September and December last year.

This equates to 12.9% of pupils, or roughly one in eight, slightly lower than the year before (13.8%).

Meanwhile, 1.2% of pupils in Richmond were severely absent, meaning they missed half or more of school sessions.

Across England, 17.8% of pupils were persistently absent in the autumn term, down from 19.4% the year before.

However, severe absence has climbed to 2% nationally, the highest level since records began in 2016-17.

School leaders and education experts have warned that fines for parents do little to address the underlying causes of absence.

Margaret Mulholland, SEND and inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "It is troubling that, even as absence rates are coming down overall, the percentage of pupils missing at least 50% of their education is rising.

"We need to focus on helping these pupils overcome the barriers preventing them from being in school, by investing in attendance services and ensuring specialist support is available as soon as required."

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT union, said fines are "a crude tool" that fail to tackle root causes.

"Schools work tirelessly to ensure children are in the classroom, but they alone are not equipped to address all the deep-seated reasons for absence which can range from sickness to mental ill-health and wider social challenges, including poverty."

The Centre for Social Justice added that absence can no longer be seen as a post-pandemic issue, warning it risks becoming "deeply entrenched" unless more support and mentoring is offered to families.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "Getting children back in classrooms, where they belong, is non-negotiable if we are to break the unfair link between background and success so we can build a fairer country."

A Department for Education spokesperson said the latest figures show "positive green shoots", with 140,000 fewer pupils persistently absent compared to the previous year.

They added that the government's "plan for change" aims to make decisive progress, noting there were "over five million more days in school this year".

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