Data set from Pupil absence in schools in England

Absence in state-funded alternative provision

Latest data

Published 20 March 2025

Last updated 20 March 2025

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 2023/24
• Geographic levels: Local authority, National, Regional
• Indicators:
  • Authorised absence rate
  • Number of authorised absence sessions
  • Number of authorised holiday sessions
• Time period: 2013/14 to 2023/24

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Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data

time_period	time_identifier	year_breakdown	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_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_x_covid_rate
202324	Academic year	Six half terms	National	E92000001	England						State funded alternative provision	331	40600	8384708	3563862	1911208	1652654	42.50431	22.79397	19.71033	33594	82.74384	15935	39.24877	471084	56423	1963	30492	678	7125	z	123874	1178824	1870463	41584	74078	1469742	29893	1615297	3485760	z	170501	z
202324	Academic year	Six half terms	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000001	North East				State funded alternative provision	18	3125	671191	297937	157544	140393	44.3893	23.47231	20.917	2717	86.944	1318	42.176	54838	4218	32	966	94	215	z	7870	75372	143605	3533	2380	119416	548	125877	269482	z	1117	z
202324	Academic year	Six half terms	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000002	North West				State funded alternative provision	49	6596	1507493	694150	334989	359161	46.04665	22.2216	23.82505	5816	88.17465	2932	44.45118	89753	10094	303	5577	105	1531	z	26879	187497	321739	8299	15165	317038	5474	345976	667715	z	15483	z
202324	Academic year	Six half terms	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000003	Yorkshire and The Humber				State funded alternative provision	34	3980	923230	317622	130704	186918	34.40334	14.15725	20.24609	3034	76.23116	1200	30.15075	37060	6162	277	1403	61	1181	z	7948	76612	130704	6520	2952	163032	14414	186918	317622	z	26033	z
202324	Academic year	Six half terms	Regional	E92000001	England	E12000004	East Midlands				State funded alternative provision	23	2991	571417	229030	111893	117137	40.08106	19.58167	20.49939	2487	83.14945	1099	36.74356	22875	3300	38	1410	14	133	z	5612	70466	103848	3373	2954	105355	323	112005	215853	z	34605	z

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Variables in this data set

Table showing first 5 of 32 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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