Data set from Pupil absence in schools in England

Absence by pupil characteristics - autumn and spring terms combined

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Absence information by pupil characteristics including special education need (SEN), free school meal (FSM) eligibility, language, year group, sex and ethnicity.

Data set details

Theme
Pupils and schools
Publication
Pupil absence in schools in England
Release type
Number of rows
309,774
Geographic levels
Local authority, National, Regional
Indicators
  • Authorised absence rate
  • Authorised absence rate for persistent absentees
  • Number of authorised absence sessions
Filters
  • Characteristic
  • School type
Time period
2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2025/26 Autumn and spring term

Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data
time_periodtime_identifiergeographic_levelcountry_codecountry_nameregion_coderegion_nameold_la_codenew_la_codela_nameeducation_phasecharacteristiccharacteristic_breakdownenrolmentssess_possiblesess_overallsess_authorisedsess_unauthorisedsess_overall_percentsess_authorised_percentsess_unauthorised_percentenrolments_pa_10_exactenrolments_pa_10_exact_percentsess_possible_pa_10_exactsess_overall_pa_10_exactsess_authorised_pa_10_exactsess_unauthorised_pa_10_exactsess_overall_percent_pa_10_exactsess_authorised_percent_pa_10_exactsess_unauthorised_percent_pa_10_exactenrolments_pa_50_exactenrolments_pa_50_exact_percentsess_auth_illnesssess_auth_appointmentssess_auth_religioussess_auth_studysess_auth_travellersess_auth_holidaysess_auth_ext_holidaysess_auth_excludedsess_auth_interviewsess_auth_reg_performancesess_auth_temp_reduced_timetablesess_auth_othersess_auth_totalreasonssess_unauth_holidaysess_unauth_latesess_unauth_othersess_unauth_noyetsess_unauth_totalreasonssess_overall_totalreasonssess_x_covidsess_y_exceptionalsess_x_covid_ratesess_q_la_arrangements
201617Autumn and spring termLocal authorityE92000001EnglandE12000001North East390E08000037GatesheadSpecialFSMFSM eligible196.049140.05093.03467.01626.010.3642653642653647.05535205535205553.30891330891330958.029.59183673469387814978.03756.02288.01468.025.07677927627186415.275737748698099.801041527573776xx2529.0359.00.00.00.090z69.0zzz420.03467.042.030.01499.055.01626.05093.0 0 0zz
201617Autumn and spring termLocal authorityE92000001EnglandE12000001North East390E08000037GatesheadSpecialFSMFSM not eligible290.073616.04309.03618.0691.05.8533470984568574.9146924581612690.93865464029558851.017.58620689655172212914.02385.01852.0533.018.46832894533064714.3410252439213264.127303701409323xx2522.0508.030.02.00.0133z60.0zzz363.03618.0201.036.0433.021.0691.04309.0 0 0zz
201617Autumn and spring termLocal authorityE92000001EnglandE12000001North East390E08000037GatesheadSpecialFirst languageFirst language known or believed to be English461.0116394.09018.06739.02279.07.7478220526831275.789817344536661.9580047081464682104.022.55965292841648326576.05931.03960.01971.022.3171282360024114.900662251655637.416465984346779xx4816.0814.022.02.00.0208z126.0zzz751.06739.0238.041.01926.074.02279.09018.0 0 0zz
201617Autumn and spring termLocal authorityE92000001EnglandE12000001North East390E08000037GatesheadSpecialFirst languageFirst language known or believed to be other than English25.06362.0384.0346.038.06.0358377868594795.43854133920150850.59729644765796925.020.01316.0210.0180.030.015.95744680851063913.6778115501519762.2796352583586628xx235.053.08.00.00.015z3.0zzz32.0346.05.025.06.02.038.0384.0 0 0zz
201617Autumn and spring termLocal authorityE92000001EnglandE12000001North East390E08000037GatesheadSpecialMajor ethnic groupsAny other ethnic group8.02012.086.083.03.04.2743538767395624.12524850894632240.149105367793240551.012.5256.044.041.03.017.187516.0156251.171875xx37.027.04.00.00.00z3.0zzz12.083.03.00.00.00.03.086.0 0 0zz

Variables in this data set

Table showing first 5 of 44 variables
Variable nameVariable description
characteristic_breakdownCharacteristic - Filter by pupil characteristic
education_phaseSchool type - Filter by school type
enrolmentsNumber of pupil enrolments
enrolments_pa_10_exactNumber of persistent absentees (10% missed)
enrolments_pa_10_exact_percentPercentage of persistent absentees (10% missed)

Footnotes

  1. Total includes state-funded primary, 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. Comparisons with these years should be treated with caution.
  3. EHC plans – A pupil has an EHC plan when a formal assessment has been made. A document is in place that sets out the child’s need and the extra help they should receive. EHC plans were introduced in September 2014 replacing Statements of SEN, with these being phased out by April 2018. This category therefore includes Statements of SEN for the years up to 2018.
  4. SEN support - From 2015, the School Action and School Action Plus categories were combined to form one category of SEN support. Extra or different help is given from that provided as part of the school’s usual curriculum. The class teacher and special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) may receive advice or support from outside specialists. The pupil does not have an Education, Health and Care plan.
  5. From 2023/24 the school census data item ‘sex’ replaced ‘gender’. Historical use of the word “gender” in the data collection may have meant that “gender identity” was reported in some cases, as opposed to legal sex. While this is unlikely to have a significant effect on overall figures, it may affect figures in more granular subdivisions. This category is presented as a single time-series but prior to spring 2023 any data was reported as 'gender'.
  6. Caution is recommended when interpreting the data for Traveller of Irish Heritage and Gypsy/Roma children due to small population sizes.

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If you have a specific enquiry about Absence by pupil characteristics - 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