What can state schools learn from the private sector? Experts say 'wellbeing' focus the cure for absence issue

• School absence figures for the last school year show that the proportion of classes being missed remains higher than it did before the pandemic.
• Children in need of more support in school, such as those with special educational needs or those eligible for free school meals, had higher absence rates.
• Private schooling proponents say independent schools have long been taking a more holistic approach to student wellbeing - and it might be the answer for state schools too.
• More mental health help in schools is one of a number of education policies proposed by the current government.

Education experts say state schools should consider taking a leaf out of private schoolings’ book, if they want to remedy stubbornly high absence figures.

New data on student absences in England’s state-funded primary and secondary schools, released earlier this month, found that the last school year’s ‘persistent absentee’ rate was 19.2%, meaning nearly one in five children had missed more than 10% of their lessons.

The overall absence rate - meaning the total percentage of half-days at school missed by pupils for any reason - sat at 6.9%. This represented fewer classes missed than the year before - where the absence rate sat at 7.3% - but the figure remained higher than pre-pandemic levels, which were less than 5%. Absences also rose again between last year’s autumn term through to the 2024 spring term.

Fiona McKenzie is the head of education at Carfax Education, a global schooling consultancy that also annually ranks the world’s best private schools. She believes that the answer might partially lie in a shift of priorities for state-funded education - from its government or local authority funders down to individual schools.

Here’s what she told us is one of the key differences she sees between private and public schools’ approaches:

‘Happy children learn better’

Ms McKenzie said that the latest school attendance figures highlighted a growing concern - student wellbeing. “With some academies facing a backlash for requiring attendance even when pupils are unwell, it begs the question of whether some schools in the state sector need to rethink their approach,” she said. “Rather than focusing on rigid attendance enforcement, should the government be placing a greater emphasis on mental health as part of a well-rounded education?”

This was an approach she said that Britain’s top private schools had been taking for some time. “The best private schools worldwide have long understood the importance of fostering both academic excellence and personal development, and recognising that happy children learn better.”

Alongside their academic programme, many delivered a ‘hidden’ curriculum of activities - which gave their pupils opportunities to build resilience, creativity, leadership and communication skills. “This, combined with a strong focus on pastoral care, equips them to navigate and thrive in our increasingly complex world,” Ms McKenzie continued.

“By integrating similar extra-curricular opportunities and being able to invest more in pastoral care, state schools could engage with students in a more holistic way, creating an environment where they are motivated to attend because they feel not only academically but also supported pastorally and emotionally.”

Carfax Education deals with families across the world, and Ms McKenzie said that demand was generally rising internationally. But British private schools remained a top choice for parents looking for a 'gold standard' education, she said - one that combines academic rigour with a focus on personal growth. “The holistic approach offered by these schools emphasises tools beyond academics such as critical thinking and emotional wellbeing, which parents value as part of their child’s personal development.

“In today's education landscape, it's clear that wellbeing is as important to parents as academic results,” she added. “If state schools look to adopt the private sector's more balanced approach to education - where mental health and pastoral care is given the same priority as academic achievement, they can ensure that students are engaged, healthy, and eager to learn, helping to address some of the causes of the current absenteeism crisis.”

Anything besides mental healthcare a ‘sticky plaster’

Mum and teacher Laura Tristram, who also works as the wellbeing head at AI mental health tool Lumii.me, agreed that parents today were increasingly prioritising their children's wellbeing alongside academic achievement.

The link between mental health and educational success was also becoming clearer, she said, and families were seeking out schools that offered a more balanced approach. “The government should fix mental health first. Until they do, attendance won't improve, and any measures are just a sticky plaster, not addressing the root cause of absence in schools which is poor wellbeing.

“Many parents are choosing private schools not because they have endless pots of cash, but because mental health and wellbeing is prioritised, as well as physical fitness and nutrition.” she added.

More mental health support in state schools is one of a plethora of policies included in Labour’s education portfolio. The party wants to bring mental health support staff in every school, who will work to “boost the wellbeing of young people, many of whom still suffering the effects of lockdown”.

This move will, in part, be funded by closing the private school tax loophole, which comes into force in January 2025. It is not the only wellbeing-focused policy in the works at the moment either for England’s state schools, with others including rolling out free school breakfast clubs to all primary schools, and a full National Curriculum review partially aimed at bridging gaps in pupil attainment.

Do you think children’s wellbeing is being prioritised as much in state schools as private schools? What needs to change to make schoolchildren happier? Have your say and make your voice heard by leaving a comment below.