Data set from Pupil absence in schools in England

Enrolments with one or more sessions of absence - autumn and spring terms combined

Latest data

Published 23 October 2025

Last updated 23 October 2025

The number of enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence.

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Data set details

• Theme: Pupils and schools
• Publication: Pupil absence in schools in England
• Release: Autumn and spring term 2024/25
• Number of rows: 5,148
• Geographic levels: Local authority, National, Regional
• Indicators:
  • Number of enrolments with at least one authorised absence session
  • Number of enrolments with at least one overall absence session
  • Number of enrolments with at least one unauthorised absence session
• Filters:
  • School type
• Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2024/25 Autumn and spring term

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Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data

time_period	time_identifier	geographic_level	country_code	country_name	region_code	region_name	old_la_code	new_la_code	la_name	education_phase	num_schools	enrolments	enrol_overall	enrol_authorised	enrol_unauthorised	enrol_auth_illness	enrol_auth_appointments	enrol_auth_religious	enrol_auth_study	enrol_auth_traveller	enrol_auth_holiday	enrol_auth_excluded	enrol_auth_interview	enrol_auth_reg_performance	enrol_auth_temp_reduced_timetable	enrol_auth_other	enrol_unauth_holiday	enrol_unauth_late	enrol_unauth_other	enrol_unauth_noyet	enrol_x_covid	enrol_y_exceptional	enrol_q_la_arrangements
202425	Autumn and spring term	National	E92000001	England						Total	21243	7341054	6630624	6365533	3075178	5795470	2315470	579701	9429	4916	z	254192	112443	16130	127224	1263299	803238	958295	2094931	217984	z	2134120	6917
202425	Autumn and spring term	National	E92000001	England						State-funded primary	16725	3865079	3460652	3313892	1500598	3024797	1098221	312462	1495	3605	z	34491	36704	6931	31286	594333	536089	461647	840391	98120	z	668050	1639
202425	Autumn and spring term	National	E92000001	England						State-funded secondary	3418	3329072	3029911	2914315	1509590	2648798	1135373	258495	7802	1178	z	212965	74328	8587	84974	619809	255220	475186	1208745	113713	z	1403563	4420
202425	Autumn and spring term	National	E92000001	England						Special	1100	146903	140061	137326	64990	121875	81876	8744	132	133	z	6736	1411	612	10964	49157	11929	21462	45795	6151	z	62507	858
202425	Autumn and spring term	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000001	North East				Total	1098	336737	302463	286925	150941	261851	105246	13117	72	306	z	14915	1824	706	5869	52045	46881	39990	103926	10352	z	56123	100

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Variables in this data set

Table showing first 5 of 24 variables

Variable name	Variable description
education_phase	School type - Filter by school type
enrol_auth_appointments	Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to medical or dental appointments
enrol_auth_excluded	Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to exclusion
enrol_auth_holiday	Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to agreed family holiday
enrol_auth_illness	Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to illness

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Footnotes

1. Total includes state-funded primary, state-funded secondary and special schools. Data for special schools is available from 2016/17 to present.
2. Sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances are included as possible sessions in 2020/21 and 2021/22 only, but not as an absence within absence rates.

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