Prize rewards for good attendance at schools

SCHOOLS are offering rewards including iPads and bikes to children to boost attendance, a report has suggested.

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Pupils are being given incentives, such as pizza parties and school trips, and are being entered into prize draws to tackle absences, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report.

School leaders should prioritise encouraging and "individualised" approaches to increase attendance and create "a sense of belonging", the NFER has said.

This could include ensuring that attendance and behaviour policies "prioritise encouragement and support over sanctions," the paper said. It comes as recent Government figures revealed the number of pupils classed as "severely absent" reached a record high last year.