Symposium: Pupil absences and academic achievement: Role of timing, trajectories, and psychosocial pathways
Does the timing of pupil absence matter for academic achievement? (Edward Sosu, School of Education, University of Glasgow)
Competing theories suggest that the adverse effect of school absenteeism on children’s achievement may vary depending on the timing of exposure. For instance, while critical period hypothesis suggests that absences during the early stage of education will be more detrimental for achievement, recency effect theories suggest that attendance during later years will be more significant. We examined the extent to which the timing of absenteeism throughout children’s educational career influences their academic achievement. We use data from the Millennium Cohort Study and linked school administrative data for England (N=8,139) and Wales (N=1,730) providing detailed information on yearly absences in compulsory schooling and achievement information at KS1, KS2, and KS4 stages as well as a rich set of risk factors for absenteeism. Our analytic approaches include linear regression and probability models. We found that absences during any school year are harmful to student achievement. However, absences in Year 1, and Years 6 (final year of primary school) to 10 (penultimate year of compulsory secondary schooling) are more detrimental to academic performance than in other years. No differences were found between authorised and unauthorised absences.
School Absence Trajectories and Children’s Academic Achievement (Markus Klein, Strathclyde Institute of Education, University of Strathclyde)
Although prior research shows that school absences harm academic achievement, very few have examined the dynamic nature of absences across multiple school years. This study examined dynamic trajectories of children’s authorised and unauthorised absences throughout their compulsory school career and its consequences for achievement. Data were from linked National Pupil Database and the Millennium Cohort Study in England (N = 7218). We used k-means clustering for longitudinal data to identify joint authorised-unauthorised absence trajectories and a regression-with-residuals to examine effects on achievement. Five distinct absence trajectories emerged: (1) ‘Consistently Low Absences’, (2) ‘Consistently Moderate Authorised Absences’, (3) ‘Moderately Increasing Unauthorised Absences’, (4) ‘Strongly Increasing Unauthorised Absences’, and (5) ‘Strongly Increasing Authorised Absences’. We found differences between trajectory groups in GCSE achievement. Compared to ‘Consistently Low Absences’, ‘Strongly Increasing Unauthorised as well as Authorised Absences’ reduced achievement by -1.23 to -1.48 SD, and -0.72 to -1.00 SD respectively. Even pupils with ‘Consistently Moderate Absences’ had a lower achievement compared to those with ‘Consistently Low Absences’.
Beyond learning loss: Psychosocial pathways between school absenteeism and academic achievement (Samara Marta, Strathclyde Institute of Education, University of Strathclyde)
The link between school absenteeism and academic achievement has mainly been explained through learning loss. However, the mechanisms are likely complex. For instance, missing school is linked to lost opportunity in building positive relationships with peers and teachers, and an increased risk of risky behaviours. We investigate the mediating role of psychosocial factors (externalizing behaviour, prosocial behaviour, risky behaviour, self-esteem, and educational motivation), in the association between school absences and academic achievement. Data consists of linked National Pupil Database school register with Millennium Cohort Study survey in England (N=7,204). We used path analysis to explore the impact of absences at ages 12/13 on standardized tests at 16 through psychosocial factors at age 14. We found that psychosocial factors at age 14 partially mediate the negative effect of school absences on achievement. Externalizing behaviour, risky behaviour, and school motivation all contribute significantly to these detrimental consequences. Prosocial behaviour and self-esteem, however, do not mediate the association. The study emphasises the importance of reducing school absences for both academic achievement and psychosocial development.
