Data set from Pupil absence in schools in England

Absence in state-funded alternative provision - autumn and spring terms combined

Latest data

Published 15 October 2026

Last updated 15 October 2026

Absence information 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: Autumn and spring term 2025/26
• Number of rows: 1,819
• Geographic levels: Local authority, National, Regional
• Indicators:
  • Authorised absence rate
  • Number of authorised absence sessions
  • Number of authorised holiday sessions
  • Number of authorised other sessions
  • Number of authorised reasons sessions
  • Number of excluded sessions
  • Number of extended authorised holiday sessions
  • Number of illness sessions
  • Number of interview sessions
  • Number of late sessions
  • Number of medical appointments sessions
  • Number of no reason yet sessions
  • Number of overall absence sessions
  • Number of overall reasons sessions
  • Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
  • Number of pupil enrolments
  • Number of regulated performance sessions
  • Number of religious observance sessions
  • Number of schools
  • Number of sessions possible
  • Number of sessions recorded as exceptional circumstances
  • Number of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
  • Number of sessions recorded as unable to attend because of access arrangements
  • Number of severe absentees (50% or more missed)
  • Number of study leave sessions
  • Number of temporary reduced timetable sessions
  • Number of traveller sessions
  • Number of unauthorised absence sessions
  • Number of unauthorised holiday sessions
  • Number of unauthorised other sessions
  • Number of unauthorised reasons sessions
  • Overall absence rate
  • Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
  • Percentage of severe absentees (50% or more missed)
  • Unauthorised absence rate
• Time period: 2013/14 Autumn and spring term to 2025/26 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	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
202526	Autumn and spring term	National	E92000001	England						State-funded alternative provision	330	37350	5927154	2505503	1378420	1127083	42.2716	23.25602	19.01558	30654	82.07229	14843	39.74029	358107	45297	2555	1200	195	z	z	87128	2358	609	643764	237207	1378420	26939	84256	1004820	11070	1127085	2505505	z	128027	13969
202526	Autumn and spring term	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000001	North East				State-funded alternative provision	18	2996	542439	234298	131707	102591	43.19343	24.28052	18.91291	2536	84.64619	1225	40.88785	37382	4617	48	4	0	z	z	6592	40	13	58931	24080	131707	2428	4587	95106	470	102591	234298	z	3981	1958
202526	Autumn and spring term	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000002	North West				State-funded alternative provision	51	5923	1067056	480675	238635	242040	45.04684	22.36387	22.68297	5117	86.39203	2559	43.20446	67239	8436	241	47	2	z	z	20423	263	35	100982	40967	238635	6145	17913	217149	833	242040	480675	z	14510	643
202526	Autumn and spring term	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000003	Yorkshire and The Humber				State-funded alternative provision	34	3723	663796	232998	101340	131658	35.10084	15.26674	19.83411	2769	74.3755	1174	31.53371	31489	4959	123	0	6	z	z	7210	150	24	39600	17779	101340	3724	3856	119067	5011	131658	232998	z	11566	2548
202526	Autumn and spring term	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000004	East Midlands				State-funded alternative provision	22	2917	459119	183255	96407	86848	39.91449	20.99826	18.91623	2354	80.69935	1095	37.53857	23748	2835	130	251	8	z	z	3330	155	24	52791	13135	96407	2510	4104	79674	560	86848	183255	z	17611	2025

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Variables in this data set

Table showing all 35 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 severe absentees (50% or more missed)
enrolments_pa_50_exact_percent	Percentage of severe absentees (50% or more missed)
num_schools	Number of schools
sess_auth_appointments	Number of medical appointments sessions
sess_auth_excluded	Number of excluded sessions
sess_auth_ext_holiday	Number of extended authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_holiday	Number of authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_illness	Number of illness sessions
sess_auth_interview	Number of interview sessions
sess_auth_other	Number of authorised other sessions
sess_auth_reg_performance	Number of regulated performance sessions
sess_auth_religious	Number of religious observance sessions
sess_auth_study	Number of study leave sessions
sess_auth_temp_reduced_timetable	Number of temporary reduced timetable sessions
sess_auth_totalreasons	Number of authorised reasons sessions
sess_auth_traveller	Number of traveller sessions
sess_authorised	Number of authorised absence sessions
sess_authorised_percent	Authorised absence rate
sess_overall	Number of overall absence sessions
sess_overall_percent	Overall absence rate
sess_overall_totalreasons	Number of overall reasons sessions
sess_possible	Number of sessions possible
sess_q_la_arrangements	Number of sessions recorded as unable to attend because of access arrangements
sess_unauth_holiday	Number of unauthorised holiday sessions
sess_unauth_late	Number of late sessions
sess_unauth_noyet	Number of no reason yet sessions
sess_unauth_other	Number of unauthorised other sessions
sess_unauth_totalreasons	Number of unauthorised reasons sessions
sess_unauthorised	Number of unauthorised absence sessions
sess_unauthorised_percent	Unauthorised absence rate
sess_x_covid	Number of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_y_exceptional	Number of sessions recorded as exceptional circumstances

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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. Comparisons with these years should be treated with caution.

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Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Absence in state-funded alternative provision - autumn and spring terms combined 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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