Royal show organisers stress educational value

The organisers of an agricultural show insist it does offer children an educational experience, amid new figures illustrating school absences.

Newly published Department for Education (DfE) data showed there was a spike in absences coinciding with last year’s Royal Norfolk Show (RNS).

A record 15,000 children are expected to attend this year’s event at the Norfolk Showground, near Norwich, on 24-25 June.

Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association chief executive Mark Nicholas is director of the show and said attending presented a “fantastic opportunity” for young people.

Rob Sykes/BBC A man and woman face away from the camera. They are wearing matching blue shirts and white trousers. They are holding the halters of two brown cows. Behind them crowds look on. — Many young people take part in the livestock showing classes at the RNS

The DfE analysis compared absence rates for schools in Norfolk between the second day of the 2025 show and the previous Thursday.

A higher rate of absences was shown across all year groups, with Year 9 boys up the most at 5.1%, compared with 0.8% across England for the same age group.

The show was used as an example alongside similar increases in absences among Year 9 and 10 girls in the Liverpool area when Taylor Swift was performing in the city in June 2024.

The analysis also found absence rates were higher across all year groups on days that coincided with pupils’ birthdays.

Nicholas said many children attend the RNS to take part in livestock competitions and musical performances.

He said: “It’s not just coming with the school group to visit the education and learning aspects relating to food farming and countryside.

“The Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub run a huge programme of live music and entertainment and the majority of groups taking part are school bands, school choirs.”