UK school attendance has reached a critical point, with nearly one in five pupils persistently absent from the 24/25 DfE autumn term data. Traditional reporting highlights who is missing but rarely uncovers why. Real progress comes from connecting attendance with behaviour, SEND, safeguarding, wellbeing, and classroom data to reveal the underlying patterns—such as links between anxiety, detentions, unmet needs, or specific lesson types and absence. When schools can see these relationships clearly, they can intervene earlier, personalise support, and track what actually improves attendance. This shift from reactive responses to proactive, data‑driven action is essential to re‑engaging students and reducing persistent absence.