The relative effect of pupil absenteeism on literacy and numeracy in the primary school

(2022) - H C M (Tim) Carroll

Journal: Educational Studies
Link:: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03055698.2020.1793302
DOI:: 10.1080/03055698.2020.1793302
Links::
Tags:: #paper #NCDS #Maths #Reading
Cite Key:: [@Carroll2022]

Abstract

Within the Western world pupil absenteeism, namely absence from school for either or both justified and unjustified reasons, is a source of real concern, e.g. in Wales (Carroll 1977; Reid 2009), in parts of Northern Europe (Carroll 1995), and in the USA (Balfanz 2016). With respect to primary school absenteeism, it was pointed out by Reid (2004), Britain’s leading expert on pupil absenteeism and one of the few researchers who has investigated the subject at both the secondary and primary school level, that there had been few publications on primary school pupil absenteeism before 2002. Furthermore, despite its obvious importance for child development, its effect on school attainments has received scant attention according to Gottfried (2010), Ready (2010) and Vagi, Collins and Clark (2017). As for its relative effect on literacy and numeracy, as will be reflected in the next section, it has probably received even less attention.

Notes

“Study (NCDS) cohort which contained children born in England, Scotland and Wales in March 1958. After controlling for attainment at age 7, and the effects of social class and parity, Carroll found using analysis of covariance that, at age 11, being a Poor Attender, i.e. having an attendance rate of 80% or less at both 7 and 11 years of age, relative to that of being a Better Attender, had a detrimental effect on the children’s performance on NCDS reading and mathematics tests and one which was greater for the latter” (Carroll, 2022, p. 4)

“absence had a more detrimental effect on numeracy and is unique in that the basis for the support is statistical.” (Carroll, 2022, p. 22)