Pupils in England who are absent from school during the exam years are more likely to receive worse GCSEs than their peers, an analysis has suggested.
Only 5% of children who were severely absent in both Years 10 and 11 – and just 36% who were persistently absent – achieved at least five GCSEs, including English and maths, at grades 4 or above in 2022, according to research by the Children’s Commissioner for England.
