Children missing school over uniform and trips costs, miserable study shows

Some 16% of pupils aged 11-18 have missed school at least once because their parents couldn’t afford something they needed to attend, polling shows.

This rises to 26% among pupils who receive, according to the Action Group’s (CPAG) poll.

Almost half (47%) of young people who missed school said they did not have the correct or kit. More than a quarter (26%) skipped school because they couldn’t afford transport to get to school, while 27% didn’t turn up because of a lack of money for going on trips.

Children who receive were more than twice as likely to be sent home from school for not having the right uniform or kit as their peers (8% compared to 3% of all pupils). More than one in five (21%) young people in receipt of FSM have missed school because of mental health challenges, such as feeling anxious or depressed, compared to 17% in families who aren’t eligible.

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One secondary school staff member told CPAG they sometimes receive calls from parents to say a pupil can’t come in because they “only have one uniform and that’s in the washing and it’s not dry”. And a student told the charity: “A lot of people lose confidence over their financial problems...they're embarrassed about how they're poor, they tend to be quieter.”

Another pupil said: “I sometimes have to buy my friends their food because they don't have any money in their accounts.” And one student added: “All the trips are too expensive and a lot of parents can't afford them even when they work, especially if they have more than one child attending school.”

More than two-thirds (68%) of secondary pupils in the UK attend schools that still require branded uniforms, although this varies across the nations, according to CPAG. The government is bringing in legislation in England to restrict the number of branded items to three in secondary schools or four if one item is a tie.

It comes as comes under mounting pressure to reverse the which could lift thousands of kids out of poverty.

Bridget Phillipson on Tuesday said scrapping the controversial CPAG demanded the Tory-era policy be ditched and also called for an expansion of free school meals.

The is campaigning for free school meals for all primary school children.

Kate Anstey, head of education at CPAG, said: “Children in poverty aren’t getting the real deal at school because they don’t have money to participate – or even get to the school gates. From not being able to afford meals or uniform to poor mental health, lack of money at home means young people are missing school – effectively priced out of the system.

“Government must do more to support living standards for families so kids aren’t locked out of learning – including scrapping the two-child limit and expanding eligibility for free school meals.”

A government spokesperson said: “We are determined to reduce child poverty through wide-ranging action as part of our Child Poverty Taskforce, breaking the unfair link between background and opportunity.

“This government has inherited a system with baked-in inequalities.

“Through our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are also changing the law to limit the number of branded items schools can require, which alongside free breakfast clubs could put £500 a year back into working parents’ pockets.”

::: Survation surveyed 1,701 state secondary school students aged 11-18 living in the UK between April 17 and May 1.

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