The Welsh Government has an attendance task force trying to address how to get more children into school Ysgol Gymraeg CaerffiliThe hope is to get more children into school(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

The Welsh Government is struggling to tackle stubborn absence rates since the pandemic. Here is everything you need to know:

  • The Welsh Government has published details of the schools with the highest attendance rates in a bid to share tips and ideas.
  • One the schools highlighted for best practice is Ygol Gymraeg Caerffili, which has a catchment including some of the most deprived areas in Wales, recorded a 98.2% attendance rate in September 2025, compared to the all-Wales average of 93.4% for primary schools and 90.6% for secondaries – and even lower for some areas and groups.
  • Currently an average 8.2% of all half day school sessions are being missed in Wales, with higher absence among least well off pupils and those in key exam years, but not at a handful of schools which have bucked the trend.
  • The Welsh Government has an attendance task force trying to address how to get more children into school.
  • Local authority data, released by the Welsh Government, shows the highest attendance rates this term are all primaries, and all but two of which are in Monmouthshire.
  • All-Wales attendance: Primary schools 93.4%; Secondary schools 90.6%; Middle schools 90.3%; Special schools 86%.
  • The highest school absence rates are in Carmarthenshire and Rhondda Cynon Taf both at 9% and Bleanau Gwent at 8.9%. The lowest absence rate is Monmouthshire with 6.6%.
  • The Welsh Government said attendance rates are slightly up year on year
  • It is for local councils and schools to identify how to prioritise and use their family engagement officer funding, the Welsh Government added. Read the full story here.