A major new report published today by Impetus and Public First sheds light on how young people themselves are experiencing the school attendance crisis – and what could make the biggest difference. 

Building on our 2023 study with parents, this new research listens directly to pupils. Through focus groups with 60 Year 10 pupils in schools across England, we explored how young people think about school, the factors shaping their decisions to attend, and what would make school feel worth choosing. 

The findings are striking. For many pupils, daily attendance is no longer a given. Instead, it is a decision made each morning, weighed against tiredness, wellbeing, friendships, family pressures and the pull of the online world. Pupils described school as exhausting, rigid, and too often disconnected from their lives – valued mainly as a route to qualifications rather than a meaningful experience in itself. 

Key insights include: 

• Not attending every day has become the new normal for many young people. 

• Exhaustion is a central driver of absence, linked to the 24/7 pressures of the online world. 

• School is seen as transactional – important for grades but not for belonging or enjoyment. 

• Sanctions may compel attendance but undermine trust, leaving pupils feeling coerced rather than engaged. 

• Emotional wellbeing is central: pupils are actively monitoring their mental health and something choosing absence as a form of self-preservation. 

Yet pupils also told us what could help. They want more time to build friendships, enrichment beyond exams, trusted adults they can speak to without fear, and clear boundaries around technology that support healthier routines. 

The report sets out clear recommendations for schools and government – from valuing social time and enrichment, to separating support from sanctions, to addressing the impact of late-night online life. 

For Public First, this research is part of our wider commitment to helping policymakers and educators understand the real drivers of behaviour and to design interventions that work in practice, not just on paper. 

Read the full report, Listening to, and learning from, young people in the attendance crisis here.