Ireland’s low early school-leaving rate is concealing the real figures of student disengagement, according to researchers at the Learnovate Centre in Trinity College Dublin.
Students may remain formally enrolled in school but many are disengaged through attending irregularly, withdrawing from classroom activities, or losing their connection to learning. Recognising those changes early gives schools a better opportunity to understand what is happening and offer support.
This is one of the main findings of Engaging Minds, a two-year Erasmus Plus project involving educators and researchers in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Sweden.
The project has already produced a free handbook and practical resources for teachers, in four languages, that are available online. It is also developing a new digital engagement toolkit for schools, which will be piloted in multiple schools across Europe from early next year. The toolkit is designed to support teachers to create interactive learning activities in the classroom, with gamified features that allow students to earn rewards, track their progress, and stay motivated.
Ireland’s early school leaving rate is low compared to other European countries, 3.6 per cent in 2025 compared with an EU average of 9.1 per cent according to Eurostat*. Much of that achievement has come from a range of government initiatives such as Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS ) and Tusla Education Support Service (TESS ). These initiatives have helped keep more young people in education by tackling disadvantage, supporting attendance, and opening up alternative pathways.
But the Engaging Minds project found that while the numbers leaving school are falling, they do not capture the experiences of students who remain in education while becoming disengaged. The project is finding that student dropout is usually the end point of a gradual process of reduced engagement with school and learning.
Covid influence
School avoidance, the project also found, has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic and is often linked to anxiety, peer pressure and pressure to perform academically – as well as the growing influence of smartphones and technology.
Ilse White, Senior Learning Researcher at Learnovate, led the research alongside Learnovate colleagues –Technology Lead Dr. Bilal Ahmad and Project Manager Dr. Jane O’Hara. Ilse says:
“Early school leaving is rarely one sudden decision. A young person can still be enrolled but struggling with attendance, participation or a loss of connection to learning. Our Engaging Minds research highlights that school avoidance was a concern before Covid, and returning to regular attendance has remained difficult for some students.
“The reasons vary and can include anxiety, learning difficulties, academic pressure, relationships, pressures at home or aspects of the school experience. Technology is a big one as some students only see the social side of school. But with technology and smartphones, they can still stay in touch with their friends without going into school so don’t feel like they are missing out. The sooner a school notices changes in attendance, participation or behaviour, the greater the opportunity to offer support before disengagement becomes entrenched.”
Each Engaging Minds partner country has been working with local schools which are applying innovative, practical strategies to strengthen engagement, address school avoidance and prevent early school leaving.
For example, a school in Denmark introduced a structured screen-use policy with interactive teaching to reduce digital distractions, while schools in Sweden and Finland introduced personalised learning plans, peer mentoring, tutor collaboration and other practical learning opportunities to help students reconnect with education.
In Ireland, St Joseph’s Secondary School in Rush, Co. Dublin, an important contributor to the Engaging Minds project, has a timetabled weekly student support team meeting which identifies concerns and coordinates an individual response.
While attendance is closely monitored, the school brings together early intervention, family engagement and flexible learning pathways to support students at risk of disengagement. (See separate Case Study below )
Darren Byrne, Deputy Principal of St Joseph's Secondary School in Rush, Co. Dublin, says:
"There has to be a culture of student support across the whole school, from top to bottom. Our student support team brings the relevant people together so that every discussion leads to an action. The response is bespoke because the reason one student is disengaging may be completely different from another.
"One of the most important things a school can provide is one good adult – somebody the student trusts and can go to. The expectation cannot always be that a young person returns and immediately engages with their full timetable. Sometimes it begins with a conversation, a safe space, and a gradual, supported return to classes. Our aim is that every student leaves St Joseph's with a plan and a pathway."
Learnovate Managing Director Nessa McEniff said the research being carried out across Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland is resulting in really valuable practical resources for teachers which allow them to respond to the different ways that students learn.
"By working with partners across Europe, we can share approaches, test what works and turn that knowledge into the tools schools can use. We have been so impressed with our partner school – St Joseph’s –and the work they are consistently doing across the whole school community to tackle disengagement.”
The Engaging Minds handbook and practical teacher resources are available at www.engagingminds.eu/results
