Three-quarters of parents let children miss school for ‘duvet day’

Three-quarters of parents have allowed their child to stay at home and take a “duvet day” if they don’t want to attend school, according to a new survey.

Seventy-five per cent of 2,000 parents surveyed said they have allowed their child not to go to school if they feel tired, emotional or not able to attend. Forty per cent of those surveyed said they had allowed “duvet days” to happen more than once.

On average, parents reported letting their children take six days off during the past school year for these reasons, while 75 per cent of parents said their child’s behaviour improved after such absences. Ninety-seven per cent of surveyed parents said they believe their child’s mental health is just as important as academic success.

The survey, carried out by Perspectus on behalf of education event Bett, looks at changing attitudes towards school attendance among parents. It found that 32 per cent are more relaxed about it than they were five years ago, with 54 per cent of those parents saying working from home has contributed to that shift.

Additionally, almost three in five parents said they had taken their children out of school during term time for a holiday.

Other than holidays and emotional wellbeing, the most common reasons given for school absence among the responders to the survey were family visits (43 per cent), day trips (33 per cent) and sports events (16 per cent).

Eleven per cent of parents had taken their child out of school to go to the cinema, and 7 per cent had done so for hairdressing appointments.

Addressing the survey, the report said: “More concerning is that a significant minority (more than one in 20) of parents have allowed absence for something as routine as getting a haircut – suggesting that some families view school as optional when it conflicts with any other activity.”

According to recent research from the Office for National Statistics, the more times a child is absent from school, the greater the probability that they will experience mental ill health, and that the effect accelerates with the level of absences.

The Bett survey report concluded that its findings reflect “deeper questions about what education should look like in the 21st century”.

It said: “Parents increasingly prioritise their children’s emotional wellbeing and are willing to allow absence when they believe it serves their child’s best interests.

“This shift challenges traditional assumptions about the non-negotiable nature of school attendance. The path forward requires acknowledging these changing attitudes while helping families understand the long-term consequences of missing education.

“Technology can support this effort by making learning more engaging and maintaining connections when pupils face barriers to attendance.

“However, the fundamental solution lies in creating educational environments where children genuinely want to be. This means addressing not just the symptoms of poor attendance, but the underlying reasons why pupils and families choose absence over presence.”

In response to the survey’s findings, a Department for Education spokesperson told The Independent: “Through our Plan for Change, we are taking action to get more young people back in the classroom, with the biggest improvement in attendance in a decade last academic year.

“Last academic year saw the biggest improvement in attendance in a decade – 140,000 fewer children persistently absent, 5 million more days in class.

“As well as encouraging schools to take a ‘support first’ approach for children who are facing barriers to attendance, we’re also expanding access to mental health support teams – ensuring all children are able to access help at the right time, and supported to achieve and thrive.”