One in four pupils in England “disengages” when they move up to secondary school, with enjoyment, trust, and a sense of feeling safe declining sharply, according to a new report. The survey of 100,000 pupils in England reveals that after a mostly positive experience at primary school where children report high levels of enjoyment, there is a “steep and lasting” drop in engagement after year 7 when pupils transfer to secondary at the age of 11. Girls are more likely to complain of feeling unsafe or worried, while pupils eligible for free school meals are more likely to report lower levels of trust, enjoyment, and belonging – a gap which grows throughout secondary school.
Engagement levels are linked to absenteeism, a top concern for the government post-Covid. The study found that the top 25% most engaged secondary pupils are 10 percentage points less likely to be persistently absent than those in the bottom 25%. Primary school pupils have a greater sense of agency and believe hard work at school will lead to success compared with secondary pupils. The research tracked how pupil engagement changed across the 2024–25 academic year and found pupils’ average school enjoyment score drops from about 6.0 in year 6 to 3.8 in year 7, which then falls further to 3.2 in year 8.
Almost every country with available data sees a decline in engagement as children progress through school, but the report suggests it is more pronounced in England, “suggesting that disengagement is not just a symptom of age, but something atypical happening in our context.” The Research Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators (RCELI) found these results, led by the ImpactEd group in partnership with the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), among other education organizations. Sue John, the commission chair, emphasized the importance of identifying when pupils start to disengage with school to prevent non-attendance and poorer outcomes. Margaret Mulholland, a Special educational needs and disabilities (Send) and inclusion specialist at the ASCL, highlighted the significance of the transition between primary and secondary school in a child’s education and its potential impact on wellbeing and attainment. Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the CST, stressed the need to delve deeper into the factors driving disengagement and reconnect these pupils with schooling.
