One in ten pupils missed school due to feeling unsafe

A new report exploring the feelings of safety of approximately 70,000 English school pupils has revealed that one in 10 pupils surveyed have missed school in the last six months due to feeling unsafe.

The report, from education specialists Edurio and The Key, found that whilst the majority of pupils reported feeling safe in school – 75% of all pupils surveyed – one quarter of pupils reported feeling not at all safe, not very safe, or only fairly safe. Further, amongst those pupils who felt unsafe in school, one third (33%) reported that they felt unsafe many times during that period.

As well as being an important issue to address in terms of young people’s safety and wellbeing, the report helps demonstrate the relationship between safety and attendance, with pupils who felt unsafe at school more likely to report they had missed school because they felt unsafe. Seventeen per cent of pupils who felt unsafe in school reported a safety-related absence during the last six months compared to 6% of pupils who had safety-related absences recorded but say they feel safe in school. This shows the clear implications for pupil engagement with learning and the potential impact on pupil outcomes.

Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner, said: “This research carried out by Edurio and The Key shines a light on an incredibly important issue: that for a school to provide a supportive environment, it needs to feel safe to the children attending. It is testament to the hard work of school staff who support their students and build caring school communities that 75% of children who took part in the research reported feeling safe in school. However, that leaves a quarter of children – that's eight in every class of 30 - who don’t feel safe.

“Pupil safety is paramount, and the findings from this report should make essential reading for all school leaders. It is only through understanding what leads to children feeling unsafe that effective policies and procedures can be implemented.”

The review also  provides a breakdown of the feelings of safety amongst different demographics including, sexuality and gender identity, sharing that   those with a gender identity other than male or female have lower feelings of safety in school (just 48% felt safe at school in the last six months, compared to 75% of girls and 78% of boys) and that less than half of gay (43%) or bisexual (45%) pupils reported feeling safe at school compared to nearly three quarters of heterosexual pupils (71%).

Importantly, the research explored children’s knowledge of, and trust in, access to support, finding that most pupils know what to do if they feel unsafe. Sixty-one per cent of pupils who didn’t feel unsafe reporting that, hypothetically, they would speak to an adult at school if they ever felt unsafe however, the reality is quite different with only 25% of pupils who felt unsafe reporting that they have spoken to and adult at school.

In addition to feelings of safety at school, the review asked pupils how safe they felt online, to which 88% responded positively. This indicates that more children feel safe online than in school (88% online compared to 75% in school) however, the report also notes the hidden nature of online risks that could be granting young people a false sense of security as they are less aware of the online dangers they may encounter.

Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive, Confederation of School Trusts, said: “As educators, the greatest responsibility we have is the trust we hold on behalf of children so this research by Edurio and The Key, informed by the views of 70,000 pupils, is a vital and instructive indication of what is going on beneath the surface.

“These findings are at once both reassuring and concerning, and should be reflected on by all school leaders to help them devise strategies to close the gaps between different pupil demographics to create safe, inclusive environments in which all pupils can learn and flourish. They also provide a valuable model for schools and trusts who wish to listen more systematically to pupil voice in their own settings, sitting alongside existing pastoral and parental engagement.”