Government introduces AI-driven attendance targets to tackle pupil absence crisis

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson unveils a new roadmap employing AI to set personalised attendance improvement targets for schools, amid ongoing struggles to restore pre-pandemic attendance levels and address long-standing absenteeism issues.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is set to unveil a new roadmap aimed at bolstering pupil attendance across schools, amid ongoing struggles to restore pre-pandemic attendance levels. The government plans to introduce individual minimum attendance improvement targets for every school, tailored using artificial intelligence to reflect each school’s unique circumstances such as location, pupil needs, and levels of deprivation. These targets form part of the attendance baseline improvement expectation (ABIE) initiative, designed to ensure that children return to classrooms ready to learn.

Significantly, these attendance targets will not be used as part of formal school accountability measures. Ofsted will not have access to the targets, and they will not be publicly published. Instead, performance data will guide targeted support interventions through Regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams and the launch of 36 new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, which aim to provide personalised one-on-one support to pupils struggling with attendance.

Ms Phillipson emphasised the crucial link between attendance and opportunity, stating, “We can only deliver opportunity for children in our country if they’re in school, achieving and thriving.” She highlighted the need to tackle attendance variation head-on by collaborating with schools to set bespoke targets, particularly as a third of schools have yet to improve their attendance statistics.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall school absence rate stood at 4.7%, but it surged to 7.6% in the 2021/22 academic year, with persistent absence , defined as missing more than 10% of school days , nearly doubling. Despite progress under the current Labour government, including 5.3 million additional school days attended and 140,000 fewer persistently absent pupils in the last year, the government remains committed to restoring attendance to pre-pandemic levels.

However, these new plans have met criticism from teaching unions. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, argued that schools are already exerting extraordinary efforts to improve attendance and that adding new targets could be counterproductive. Instead, he called for more practical resources and investment in community services that support families facing challenges affecting attendance.

Similarly, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, urged the government to recognise the complexities schools face rather than imposing further directives from Whitehall. He noted that many causes of absence are beyond schools’ direct control, and new attendance targets risk increasing pressure on already stretched staff without addressing root problems. Di’Iasio suggested that dedicated school attendance officers working directly with families would be a more effective measure, alongside better funding and support.

Official government data confirms the persistent challenges schools face with attendance, corroborating much of the criticism. Attendance remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels across state-funded primary, secondary, and special schools, with disparities particularly pronounced among disadvantaged groups. The Children’s Commissioner’s office and further independent reports describe the issue as a national crisis, drawing attention to the long-term impact of COVID-19 disruptions on pupils’ learning and wellbeing.

The debate around these new attendance targets reflects broader concerns about balancing accountability with the practical realities schools encounter. While the government asserts that targeted support through ABIE and RISE will help improve attendance in a focused manner, school leaders and unions warn that without sufficient resources and understanding of external factors, such strategies could risk adding strain rather than delivering meaningful progress.

As the new policies roll out, the success of this approach will likely depend on how well the government couples data-driven targets with enhanced frontline support and community investment to address the complex reasons behind pupil absence.

📌 Reference Map:

• ^[1] (Mirror) – Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
• ^[2] (UK Government) – Paragraph 8
• ^[3] (Children’s Commissioner) – Paragraph 8
• ^[5] (TES) – Paragraph 8
• ^[6] (FE News) – Paragraph 8

Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
8

Notes:
The narrative is based on a recent press release from the Department for Education, dated 12 November 2025, announcing individual minimum attendance improvement targets for schools, powered by artificial intelligence. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/education-secretary-sets-roadmap-to-improve-attendance-levels?utm_source=openai)) This indicates high freshness. However, similar initiatives have been reported earlier in the year, such as the AI-powered attendance reports tool launched in May 2025. ([educationreport.co.uk](https://www.educationreport.co.uk/2025/05/28/dfe-to-roll-out-ai-to-track-school-attendance/?utm_source=openai)) The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. Additionally, the narrative has been republished across various outlets, including low-quality sites and clickbait networks, which raises concerns about originality. The earliest known publication date of substantially similar content is 12 November 2025. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified.

Quotes check

Score:
9

Notes:
The direct quote from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, “We can only deliver opportunity for children in our country if they’re in school, achieving and thriving,” appears in the press release dated 12 November 2025. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/education-secretary-sets-roadmap-to-improve-attendance-levels?utm_source=openai)) No earlier usage of this exact quote was found, suggesting it is original or exclusive content.

Source reliability

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative originates from a reputable organisation, the Department for Education, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson as the spokesperson. This adds credibility to the report.

Plausability check

Score:
8

Notes:
The claim that the Department for Education is setting individual minimum attendance improvement targets for every school, powered by artificial intelligence, aligns with recent government initiatives. For instance, the AI-powered attendance reports tool was launched in May 2025. ([educationreport.co.uk](https://www.educationreport.co.uk/2025/05/28/dfe-to-roll-out-ai-to-track-school-attendance/?utm_source=openai)) The narrative includes supporting details from reputable outlets, such as the TES, which reported on the AI-powered attendance targets. ([tes.com](https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/dfe-sets-ai-attendance-targets-for-schools?utm_source=openai)) The language and tone are consistent with official government communications. No excessive or off-topic details were noted.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary:
The narrative is based on a recent press release from the Department for Education, dated 12 November 2025, announcing individual minimum attendance improvement targets for schools, powered by artificial intelligence. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/education-secretary-sets-roadmap-to-improve-attendance-levels?utm_source=openai)) The direct quote from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson appears in the press release, suggesting it is original or exclusive content. The source is reputable, and the claims are plausible, supported by recent government initiatives and reports from reputable outlets. However, the narrative has been republished across various outlets, including low-quality sites and clickbait networks, which raises concerns about originality. Despite this, the overall assessment is a PASS with high confidence.