Absent Ambition: Reclaiming Futures Through Reducing Absence
On the 8th September the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), launched a landmark report, Absent Ambition, funded by The Rigby Foundation, exposing the deep-rooted crisis of school absence across the UK—and calling for a national reset in how we support families, schools, and communities.
The findings are sobering:
1.5 million children were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of school time in 2023/24 —double the pre-pandemic rate.
Analysis from the DfE suggests that secondary school pupils in the West Midlands would earn over £4 billion more over their lifetimes if the absence rate in this region was the same as the absence rate in London. (Source: Department for Education (2025)
The crisis is most acute in secondary schools, deprived areas, and among children facing family instability, mental health challenges, or low educational ambition.
This report is a blueprint for change. Within it the CSJ outlines 23 bold, practical recommendations to tackle absence at its roots, including:
Providing support and guidance for parents
Rebuilding educational ambition and engagement
Renewing the Home-School Relationship
The Rigby Foundation, chaired by Steve Rigby, understands that absence from school is a signal that something deeper is broken in the lives of children and families. That’s why the Foundation is calling for systemic change and inviting educators, policymakers, philanthropists, and community leaders to read the full report and reflect on what role we can each play in reversing this crisis.
Read the full report here https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CSJ-Absent_Ambition.pdf