Data set from Pupil absence in schools in England

Absence in state-funded alternative provision

Latest data

Published 26 March 2026

Last updated 26 March 2026

Absence information for full academic years for all enrolments in state-funded alternative provision (including pupil referral units) with information on overall absence, persistent absence and reason for absence for pupils aged 5-15.

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Data set details

• Theme: Pupils and schools
• Publication: Pupil absence in schools in England
• Release: Academic year 2024/25
• Number of rows: 1,668
• Geographic levels: Local authority, National, Regional
• Indicators:
  • Overall absence rate
  • Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
  • Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)
• Time period: 2013/14 to 2024/25

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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	sess_possible	sess_overall	sess_authorised	sess_unauthorised	sess_overall_percent	sess_authorised_percent	sess_unauthorised_percent	enrolments_pa_10_exact	enrolments_pa_10_exact_percent	enrolments_pa_50_exact	enrolments_pa_50_exact_percent	sess_auth_illness	sess_auth_appointments	sess_auth_religious	sess_auth_study	sess_auth_traveller	sess_auth_holiday	sess_auth_ext_holiday	sess_auth_excluded	sess_auth_interview	sess_auth_reg_performance	sess_auth_temp_reduced_timetable	sess_auth_other	sess_auth_totalreasons	sess_unauth_holiday	sess_unauth_late	sess_unauth_other	sess_unauth_noyet	sess_unauth_totalreasons	sess_overall_totalreasons	sess_x_covid	sess_y_exceptional	sess_q_la_arrangements	sess_x_covid_rate
202223	Academic year	Local authority	E92000001	England	E12000009	South West	908	E06000052	Cornwall	State funded alternative provision	6	460	85769	26334	16535	9799	30.7034	19.27853	11.42487	377	81.95652	133	28.91304	7232	1045	2	5	0	102	z	3028	z	z	z	5121	16535	401	106	9292	0	9799	26334	0	4491	z	0
201415	Academic year	Local authority	E92000001	England	E12000005	West Midlands	885	E10000034	Worcestershire	State funded alternative provision	6	341	71180	19676	9893	9783	27.6426	13.89857	13.74403	250	73.31378	46	13.48974	3049	325	3	429	0	207	z	1532	z	z	z	4348	9893	52	263	8395	1073	9783	19676	z	x	z	z
201819	Academic year	Local authority	E92000001	England	E12000005	West Midlands	861	E06000021	Stoke-on-Trent	State funded alternative provision	2	161	32285	9500	3560	5940	29.42543	11.02679	18.39864	118	73.29193	37	22.98137	1404	145	4	43	1	2	z	479	z	z	z	1482	3560	125	304	5490	21	5940	9500	z	x	z	z
201819	Academic year	Local authority	E92000001	England	E12000008	South East	825	E10000002	Buckinghamshire	State funded alternative provision	2	395	62728	22352	10268	12084	35.63321	16.36909	19.26412	290	73.41772	92	23.29114	2447	474	15	218	0	199	z	1235	z	z	z	5680	10268	60	18	12006	0	12084	22352	z	x	z	z
201617	Academic year	Local authority	E92000001	England	E12000007	London	306	E09000008	Croydon	State funded alternative provision	4	554	79191	35214	19090	16124	44.46717	24.10627	20.3609	494	89.16968	255	46.02888	3390	562	16	678	2	32	z	770	z	z	z	13640	19090	173	2359	12801	791	16124	35214	z	x	z	z

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Variables in this data set

Table showing first 5 of 36 variables

Variable name	Variable description
enrolments	Number of pupil enrolments
enrolments_pa_10_exact	Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
enrolments_pa_10_exact_percent	Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
enrolments_pa_50_exact	Number of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)
enrolments_pa_50_exact_percent	Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)

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Footnotes

1. 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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Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Absence in state-funded alternative provision statistics and data:

Attendance and exclusions statistics team

Email: schools.statistics@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Attendance and exclusions statistics team

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