Secondary schools across England are turning to creative incentives such as iPads, bikes, and pizza parties to improve pupil attendance, according to a new report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).
Positive Reinforcement Over Punishment
The NFER study encourages school leaders to adopt more personalised and motivational approaches in addressing absenteeism. Rather than relying heavily on sanctions, the report advocates for strategies that foster a sense of belonging among pupils.
“Attendance and behaviour policies should prioritise encouragement and support over punitive measures,” the report suggests.
This shift in approach comes amid growing concerns over pupil absences. Government statistics published last week showed a record number of children in England were categorised as “severely absent” during the previous academic year.
The report on attendance and attainment isn’t anything we already don’t know about the importance of attendance to school.
Schools do an amazing job of trying to improve attendance for all but the complexity of why students don’t attend makes it challenging.
IMO there is a… pic.twitter.com/zNdWqYqgha
— Michael Chiles (@m_chiles) March 16, 2025
Incentives Driving Engagement
The NFER’s research, based on interviews with staff and students from nine secondary schools and responses from over 600 educators, revealed that schools using a balance of rewards and consequences observed greater engagement with attendance policies.
Incentives reported in the study include:
- Entry into prize draws for high attendance
- Rewards such as iPads, bicycles, and gift vouchers
- Group incentives like class pizza parties
In some schools, consistent attendance was even a prerequisite for participating in major events like the Year 11 prom or school trips.
Rethinking Sanctions
The report highlights that pupils in schools with a predominantly sanctions-led approach often viewed attendance policies as “punitive and unfair.” In contrast, schools that incorporated motivational rewards alongside disciplinary actions saw more positive attitudes among students.
As pupil absence continues to rise, the NFER stresses the importance of cultivating a supportive environment to reverse the trend and help students feel more connected to their school community.
Matt Walker, NFER senior research manager and co-author of the report, said: “Attendance is strongly linked to educational outcomes, so it’s concerning that absence rates remain high.
“The study responses suggest schools should consider prioritising encouraging and individualised approaches in addition to punitive sanctions.”
Mr Di’Iasio said: “We agree that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the way forward, and school leaders must be free to tailor policies to the needs and characteristics of their cohort.
“Appropriate rewards and sanctions have their part to play, but individualised support that quickly identifies why a pupil is absent from school, and helps them to return to the classroom as soon as possible, can be hugely effective.”
He added: “There needs to be a strategic response from the government to the growing problem of pupil absence, and schools must be provided with the tools they need to tackle this.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “These findings echo what school leaders tell us about the severe limitations of parental fines in improving pupil attendance.
“Absence most often reflects issues beyond the school gate, like mental health challenges and poverty, and clearly identifying and being able to support families to address these issues is far more effective.”
He added: “If the link between absence and term-time holidays is to be broken, the only sustainable solution is government action to prevent travel firms unfairly hiking prices during school holidays.”
