New NFER research shows that lower life satisfaction among pupils in England is associated with higher school absences.

The study analysed linked data from the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the National Pupil Database (NPD) to examine the relationships between life satisfaction, school belonging and absence rates among 15-year-olds in England.

As part of PISA 2022, pupils were asked: “Overall, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?”. Their responses were used as a measure of wellbeing, with pupils rating their life satisfaction on a scale from 0 (“not at all satisfied”) to 10 (“completely satisfied”).   

The research found self-reported lower levels of life satisfaction among pupils were associated with higher absences from school, with the link becoming stronger as absence rates increased. This suggests wellbeing may play a particularly important role in understanding persistent absence.

The relationship was also stronger for girls than boys, indicating wellbeing may be more closely linked to girls’ attendance patterns, while other factors may play a greater role in explaining attendance patterns for boys. 

For female pupils, higher levels of life satisfaction were associated with lower absence rates, with a one-unit increase in life satisfaction linked to a 0.4 percentage point reduction in absence.

This association translates to a six per cent reduction in their average absence rate, compared with a five per cent reduction in average absence seen across all pupils. 

The study also found school belonging may contribute to improved attendance indirectly through its influence on pupils’ overall life satisfaction. However, it warns that improving school belonging alone is unlikely to be a “silver bullet” for solving the attendance crisis.   

According to the research, a stronger sense of self-reported school belonging was associated with lower absence. However, once life satisfaction was taken into account, there was no longer a clear link between school belonging and absence.

This suggests school belonging may contribute to improved attendance indirectly through its influence on pupils’ overall life satisfaction. 

Overall, the findings indicate improving school belonging and life satisfaction may help reduce absence but are likely to make only a small contribution on their own. The report emphasises the need for a wider response combining school-based action with mental health support, family support and other public services. 

Emma Moore, Senior Research Manager at NFER, said: "School attendance is influenced by a wide range of factors, but these findings show a clear connection between how young people feel about their lives and whether they attend school regularly. 

“The particularly strong relationship between low life satisfaction and high absence rates suggests wellbeing should be a central part of conversations about attendance, especially for pupils who are persistently absent.  

“Focusing on sense of belonging alone is unlikely to fully solve the attendance crisis.  

“While schools play a vital role, they cannot address these challenges in isolation. A more joined-up approach is needed, with education, mental health and family support services working together to help children overcome barriers to attendance and stay engaged in learning.”