Missing school for recreation? Think twice.

With absences increasing, I’d like to share a message I sent to parents recently…

“Some students have been absent / late to 80 homeroom lessons so far this year.
(This is only my lessons, not including Slovak, German, Spanish, PE, music, EAL.)
This is > 60 hours of learning.
For context:
It would take two 1-hour tutoring sessions per week, every week, for nearly 7 months to substitute this time lost.

I highly appreciate it when parents ask for materials via Edupage.
However, even when students complete worksheets at home they are still losing:
– speaking and listening practice
– teacher instructions and demonstrations
– whiteboard illustrations
– interactive classroom activities
– group work
– student-centred learning, etc.

I always dedicate time throughout the week to students who have missed class, but unfortunately it is impossible to help them catch up fully when there are missing this much school time.
Please note that this many absences will naturally affect academic performance.
I know it is “flu season” and some absences cannot be avoided, but I hope this explanation helps you understand the importance of classroom presence when possible. :)”

Look, I get it. School isn’t everything. Live your lives!

But please understand that it’s not easy for most students to catch up, and we do so much more in our classes than go through worksheets together. Many of us teachers have Master’s degree in education, and have spent many years of our lives perfecting our art. While some students definitely benefit from one-on-one attention they get at home, particularly in their native language, in-class experiences can rarely be replicated, and certainly not through stand-alone written work (which personally makes up only about 10 minutes of each of my 45 minute classes).

If you’re still not convinced , here is some information about the impact of student absence on earnings, taken from a study done by the Department of Education in March 2025:

• Absence-Attainment Link
  Result: Increased days absent are associated with lower academic results.
  Supporting evidence: Pupils with 95–100% attendance are almost twice as likely to achieve a Grade 5 in English and Maths compared to those attending 90–95%.

  In other words, a student attending between 162 and 170 school days (out of 180) half their chances of getting a satisfactory grade (considered a benchmark by many schools and employers) compared to those who attend school more often.

• Quantified Impact on Grades
  On average, one day of absence corresponds to a decrease of about 0.076 grades (or roughly one grade per 13 days of absence).

• Lifetime Earnings Loss
  A typical student’s one day of absence is linked to an approximate £750 loss in future earnings (in 2024 prices, present value terms).
  Persistently absent pupils, who miss more than 10% of their possible sessions (3 weeks and 3 days), was associated with a £650 future earnings loss per day.

  So, one week for a trip, one week for illness, two days because grandma is visiting, 3 days for sports… It’s all adding up, isn’t it?

• Broader Labour Market Effects
  One day increase in absence in the later years (Years 10 and 11) is associated with:

  • A 0.8% reduction in annual earnings at age 28.

  • A significantly increased likelihood (2.7 to 4.2 times higher) of receiving benefits for those with high absence rates.

  • A substantial decrease in the chance of being in sustained employment (60–75% lower for persistently or severely absent pupils).

The report underscores the importance of school attendance not only for educational achievement but also for long-term economic outcomes.