The Greater Manchester secondary schools with the highest truancy rates

New data shows the Greater Manchester state secondary schools that had the highest rates of unauthorised absences in the last academic year.

Across the autumn and spring terms of 2018 and 2019, the national average of school sessions – defined as half a day of school per pupil – missed due to unauthorised absences was just 1.5%.

That figure jumped to 3.0% in 2022/23, and climbed higher to 3.2% in 2023/24, according to the latest official figures collated by Reach’s data unit.

READ MORE: Urgent appeal for missing 12-year-old girl last seen at Metrolink stop

Many reasons have been put forward to explain the sharp increase in school absences, the principal being the ongoing impact of COVID and its ensuing lockdowns. A report by the Guardian, which surveyed head teachers and attendance officers, also found in June this year that mental health and anxiety issues were among the biggest drivers.

Lorraine Yates, assistant principal at the Astrea Academy Trust, told the paper she thought that children in years 9 and 10 faced the biggest challenges. “They are the cohort of young people that was most disrupted by Covid and that were impacted by Sure Start centres and children’s centres being closed,” she said.

“Throughout their childhood up to the end of their statutory school age, they’ve missed out on quite a bit.”

There could also be an economic factor at play behind truancy. A DfE report from 2022/2023 found that 36.5% of free school meal-eligible pupils were persistently absent – almost 20% higher than persistent absences among pupils that were not eligible, 15.6%.

While none of Greater Manchester’s state secondary schools made the top 20 list for highest unauthorised absence rates – topped by the Basildon Upper Academy in Essex, with a rate of 16.1% – some of Greater Manchester’s schools had absence rates that were double – or in some cases, triple – the national average .

Denton Community College in Tameside recorded an unauthorised absence rate of 11.1%, meaning that more than one in ten school sessions had an unauthorised absence. The school was placed in special measures after an inspection in December 2022, although a monitoring visit from September 2023 found that “leaders had made progress” and improvements were ongoing.

When contacted for a statement, a spokesperson for Denton Community College said: "We are working with Northern Education Trust and the DfE attendance hub to implement their highly effective attendance procedures in order to tackle this issue. We are confident we will be able to have the same impact on attendance that we have had on achievement, where we have significantly improved outcomes for our students.

“We have had an 18% increase in passes in grade 5+ Maths and English in just one year, and are likely to be one of the most improved schools in the country."

The Albion Academy in Salford had the second-highest rate of unauthorised absences in the region, at 10%. Following an inspection in May 2023, Ofsted rated it ‘good’.

The third highest was Rayner Stephens High School in Tameside, with an unauthorised absence rate of 10%. In September 2023, it was graded as ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted, although the personal development pupils were afforded was rated ‘good’.

Buile Hill Academy in Salford had 9%, while Dixons Brooklands Academy in Manchester had a rate of 8.7%.

Both the Albion Academy and Rayner Stephens High School were contacted for comment.

The full top 20 can be found below.

• Denton Community College (Tameside): 11.1%
• The Albion Academy (Salford): 10%
• Rayner Stephens High School (Tameside): 9.4%
• Buile Hill Academy (Salford): 9%
• Dixons Brooklands Academy (Manchester): 8.7%
• St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy (Rochdale): 8.5%
• Reddish Vale High School (Stockport): 8.1%
• Star Salford Academy (Salford): 7.8%
• Manchester Communication Academy (Manchester): 7.6%
• The East Manchester Academy (Manchester): 7.5%
• The Lowry Academy (Salford): 7.1%
• E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy (Oldham): 7.1%
• Co-op Academy Manchester (Manchester): 7%
• St Anne's Church of England Academy (Rochdale): 6.8%
• Tottington High School (Bury): 6.7%
• Cedar Mount Academy (Manchester): 6.6%
• St Anne's RC Voluntary Academy (Stockport): 6.6%
• Waterhead Academy (Oldham): 6.5%
• The Heys School (Bury): 6.5%
• Hyde High School (Tameside): 6.4%
• Salford City Academy (Salford): 6.4%