Understanding the factors influencing school attendance in Plymouth

Elpida Ahtaridou (2026)

Led by Plymouth Marjon University and funded by Plymouth City Council and schools, this large-scale research study explored the factors that support and hinder school attendance from the perspectives of students and parents/carers.

The study involved more than 1,100 students and 2,100 parents/carers across primary and secondary phases and examined the complex interplay between the different factors influencing attendance. By asking participants to prioritise and rank these factors, the study identified not only what influences attendance, but which influences matter most to students and families.

The research provides one of the most detailed local evidence bases on attendance experiences in the post-pandemic context and aims to inform school practice, local policy and wider national discussions around improving attendance.

Naomi, we discussed maybe we could have here what PCC will approve through the press release and/or maybe some student and parent/carer quotes? 

Understanding the factors influencing secondary school attendance in Cornwall

Elpida Achtaridou, Iasonas Lamprianou, Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Vasiliki Christodoulou, Victoria May, Eva Ambruzova, Georgios Georgakopoulos, Mikaella Michail, Victoria Brown (ongoing)

Funded by Cornwall Council, Plymouth Marjon University is currently leading one of the largest local attendance research studies undertaken in the South West, working in partnership with secondary schools across Cornwall to better understand the factors that support and hinder school attendance.

The study includes:

• 7,500 student survey responses incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data
• 1,950 parent and carer survey responses
• school surveys
• in-depth case studies, including interviews with senior leaders and focus groups with students and parents/carers.

The scale and richness of the dataset provide a unique opportunity to explore school attendance from multiple perspectives and across different groups of young people. Analysis examines patterns through the lenses of belonging, attitudes towards attendance, attendance profiles, year group and student characteristics, providing one of the most detailed pictures to date of attendance across Cornwall and the factors shaping it.

Alongside county-level findings, participating schools will receive individual reports designed to support attendance improvements and wider school improvement. Findings from the study aim to contribute to regional and national conversations about attendance policy and practice.

The Pretty Poverty Report -
Cornwall Rurality Matters

Ovenden-Hope, Brown and Achtaridou (2025)

The Pretty Poverty Report shares insights on rural deprivation in Cornwall through an examination of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) as a tool for measuring deprivation in England. The findings in the report suggest that the IMD fails to capture the contextual differences of rural deprivation based on its urban-centric categories. The report explores the six themes that emerged from the research and makes recommendations to the government for a more place-sensitive approach to measuring deprivation.

“The findings and recommendations set out here are grounded in robust evidence, including qualitative insights into lived experience. But for those of us who live in Cornwall, they are also deeply intuitive. We see and feel the effects of “pretty poverty” every day — realities that visitors often miss.

 This report is not only insightful—it is a powerful resource for local representatives. It lays bare the challenges we face and equips us with the evidence needed to advocate effectively with central Government, from a distinctly Cornish perspective.

 A central concern is that the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) fail to capture the true extent of remote coastal deprivation. While the IMD has its strengths, relying solely on it risks overlooking the deep structural issues affecting our communities.

 Central Government should be deeply concerned that remote coastal deprivation, as detailed in this report, is not adequately captured by current indicators. This oversight disadvantages people facing educational isolation, barriers to services, and precarious employment. From my perspective, it all comes back to the housing crisis. The personal stories in this report—of people struggling with unaffordable rents and fierce competition—echo what I hear regularly on the doorstep and in my constituency surgeries.

 This report is instrumental in setting out the problem. It is now up to those of us in Government to act. The first step is ensuring that decisions about Cornwall are based on accurate, meaningful assessments of deprivation. That is not happening today—and until it does, the challenges facing our communities will remain unresolved.”

Perran Moon MP

MAT School Governance: A hub advisory board model

Ovenden-Hope and Achtaridou (2025)

The study’s key message is that governance innovation must balance efficiency gains with preservation of local voice and community connection. The research demonstrates that while hub models can address systemic challenges like governor recruitment and administrative burden, successful implementation requires substantial investment in communication strategies, stakeholder engagement mechanisms, and ongoing professional development.

The study's core insight is that the future of local governance within MATs depends not on the specific structural model adopted, but on the quality of relationships, clarity of roles, and effectiveness of communication systems that underpin governance practice. In essence, the HAB model show promise but requires sustained work to maintain democratic accountability and community engagement alongside operational efficiency.

What Works Well

The HAB model demonstrates several clear operational benefits:

• Reduces administrative burden on headteachers through streamlined processes
• Improves strategic focus for trustees by consolidating reporting from multiple schools
• Enables better collaboration between schools within geographical clusters
• Addresses recruitment challenges by requiring fewer but more skilled governors
• Promotes consistency in governance practices across the Trust

What Doesn't Work (Yet)

However, the research reveals implementation challenges:

Community Disconnect

• Parents that responded to the survey feel "distanced from the governance of the school" and describe the model as "remote, disconnected and self-serving"

Role Confusion

• Nearly half of HAB members lack clarity about their role after 19 months
• Half of senior leaders believe HABs don't effectively engage with stakeholders

Accountability Gaps

• HABs struggle to provide effective challenge and support to individual schools
• The advisory nature of HAB recommendations limits their authority to effect real change

Emma Knights OBE, Former Chief Executive of the National Governance Association: “Talk about cluster or hub level governance instead of a local tier has surfaced again in the sector in the last two years, driven by the difficulty of volunteer recruitment. I would encourage all those considering such a change to read this report”.

Emma Balchin, CEO of the National Governance Association for Schools and Trusts: “This important research by Plymouth Marjon University arrives at a critical juncture for multi-academy trust governance”.