Texting parents may help schools tackle ‘truancy crisis’ in England, say experts

MPs have been told that evidence on how to reduce persistent absenteeism is weak but there are significantly more children now missing lessons than before the pandemic. Photograph: David Jones/PA

Personalised text messages to parents could be used to help improve school attendance rates, as teachers struggle to re-engage children and their families after the disruption of Covid, according to experts.

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said there was a “national persistent truancy crisis” in England, with significantly more children now missing lessons compared with before the pandemic.