“Children don’t drop out of school, they fade out,” a district inspector informed a group of inner-city principals at a planning day last year. Poor school attendance is linked to a multitude of negative outcomes, including early school leaving, yet it has never received the requisite political prioritisation until now.
Such is the lack of regard for the issue that responsibility for school attendance has been bounced back and forth between the Department of Education and the Department of Children. Back in Education now, it affords the new Minister for Education, Helen McEntee, the opportunity to make the significant changes necessary to send a clear message that every school day matters.
School attendance is at crisis levels, particularly in DEIS primary schools where a staggering 43 per cent of children missed 20 days or more in 2022-2023, according to the ESRI. While the pandemic was a watershed and school attendance rates declined sharply afterwards, educators had noticed a deterioration for some time before this.
As principal of a DEIS primary school, the impact of non-attendance is evident across multiple aspects of a child’s education. A brief analysis of reading groups in a middle primary class in the school last year indicated each of the children in the lowest reading group was a poor attender year on year.
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Significantly, children internalise this perceived weakness and accept that they are “not good at reading”. In reality, they missed out on being taught basic literacy skills. Not only are academic possibilities undermined, but a child’s self-esteem and belief in their ability is compromised too. The cumulative impact of poor attendance is significant.
The Oireachtas committee on Education was informed in 2022 that 70 per cent of people in Irish prisons had left school by age 14
Schools do much to incentivise positive attendance but there needs to be a stronger response from a statutory level. Early intervention is key, yet children under the age of six are currently exempt from the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, meaning the school attendance of many junior infant children in the State is not being officially tracked. Minister McEntee is planning to rectify this by amending the legislation. Irrespective of age, any child who formally begins school must be included in its remit.
An additional measure which would make a difference is “carrying over” days into the following school year, so children with poor attendance are placed on an alert list and intervention happens sooner. Speaking to a post-primary principal colleague recently, I was saddened but not surprised to hear some former pupils are struggling. The pupils in question missed more than 20 days of school every year from junior infants to sixth class.
A close look at poor school attendance of vulnerable children usually indicates an erratic pattern of days missed here and there, which is detrimental. A child’s education becomes like a block of Swiss cheese; the gaps are too many and eventually too large to overcome. By senior primary, disengagement starts. This is entirely predictable, incredibly frustrating for school staff who work with children and it significantly increases the risk of early school leaving for a child.
Indeed, teachers can identify at a young age which children are likely to drop out of school. The Oireachtas committee on Education was informed in 2022 that 70 per cent of people in Irish prisons had left school by age 14.
Aside from the academic impact of missing school on literacy and numeracy attainment, there is an enormous social ramification for children with poor attendance. Such children tend to have less friends and poorer social connections as they are missing out on what’s happening among their classmates. In the era of disintegrating social connections among children owing to the rise in mobile phone use, this particular consequence warrants attention, as it correlates with poor mental health.
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There is a strong correlation between poor school attendance and child protection. Random days missed sporadically can be an indicator that there are difficulties at home - a parent may be caught in addiction or experiencing mental health difficulties.
In their observations after the lengthy pandemic school closures, the Child Law Project recognised the importance of schools in having eyes on vulnerable children. They ”provide a vital link between children and social services as children may confide in teachers or teachers may notice a child is showing signs of abuse". Poor school attendance undermines the ability of an important adult in a child’s life to keep an eye and flag any concerns.
If they move, we need to know where they go
Serious questions about school attendance and the inter-school transfer procedures were asked in light of the disappearance of Kyran Durnin, a schoolboy from Co Louth who was last seen in 2022, when he was six. These questions need to be answered as a matter of urgency to avoid a similar situation happening in future.
Currently, there are children living in homeless accommodation, many of whom are from ethnic minority communities, who are not attending school. Unless a school referral has been made, education welfare officers cannot call to check who is living in the accommodation and whether the children are registered for and attending school. Thus, children can arrive to live in Ireland but there is no follow-up system to ensure they are attending school. This is a serious anomaly, which, at its most alarming, means child trafficking is possible in the State.
It is imperative that Ireland has a robust, integrated system to ensure all children are safe and protected. Put simply, we need to know that children are registered for and attending school. If they move, we need to know where they go. As our history has taught us, we need to prioritise children who are at risk.
Children First legislation should trump all other, including GDPR, which can present a challenge to sharing important information. A system which links PPS numbers, passport numbers and school attendance is needed to ensure that Ireland protects its most vulnerable children - those who may fall through the cracks. A new approach to school attendance is a first step.
Niamh Murray is principal of Rutland National School, Dublin 1.
