Teachers in England and Wales have expressed doubts about the value of full school attendance, with some saying they would take their children on holiday during term time if they could afford it, according to a three-year research project. The study, conducted by the youth charity Impetus and the policy and polling research firm Public First, highlights a growing attendance crisis. Nearly one in five children now miss at least 10% of school each year, and many teachers feel the system is not equipped to address the problem. The research focused on schools in low-income areas, where teachers and students share similar skepticism about the effectiveness of measures like holiday fines. One teacher noted, “If I wasn’t a teacher, I would take my daughter out of school and take her on holiday because it would be cheaper,” while another said, “If it’s the only holiday you get to experience in a five-year period, I think that’s probably worth more than a week in school in January.” These comments reflect a broader concern about the value placed on school attendance. Meanwhile, the children’s commissioner, Rachel de Souza, has warned of a growing number of hidden Neets—young people not in education, employment, or training. Analysis suggests that around 42,000 16- and 17-year-olds in England are attending college for less than half the time, and the actual number is likely much higher than official figures show. The report, titled A Crisis of Disengagement, involved interviews with 62 secondary school staff from schools where more than 25% of students are eligible for free school meals. Teachers described the effort to track student attendance as “relentless” and said that occasional absences were less concerning than long-term disengagement. While some supported the use of fines to discourage truancy, many felt that such measures could harm relationships with families and make it harder to support students. “We’ll send a penalty notice out and then we’ve really annoyed that parent,” said one senior leader. “We’ve just broken a relationship between a family that we want to get into school.” In 2024-25, a record 492,825 penalty notices were issued to parents in England for unauthorized absences, a significant increase from pre-pandemic levels. Researchers note a major shift in attitudes toward school attendance since the pandemic, with some parents no longer believing that full-time schooling is essential. The absence rate in England for 2025-26 was 6.93%, compared to 4.7% before the pandemic. Teachers also highlighted the strain on schools caused by a lack of mental health support, unmet special educational needs, and insufficient social workers. They described schools as “the one-stop shop for everything,” with some students requiring specialist care that is not available elsewhere. Staff emphasized that the most effective ways to improve attendance—such as building relationships, mentoring, and home visits—require a lot of time and effort. Susannah Hardyman, CEO of Impetus, said the attendance crisis cannot be solved by teachers alone. “We now know that not only are pupils, families, and teachers unconvinced that every day in school matters, but what we are facing is a wider crisis of disengagement driven by pressures often outside the control of school staff,” she said.