Permanent data table

'Absence by pupil characteristics' from 'Pupil absence in schools in England'

• Created: 20 March 2025

WARNING - The data used in this table may be invalid as the subject file has been amended or removed since its creation.

'Absence by pupil characteristics' for SEN primary need - Autistic spectrum disorder, Special, State-funded primary and State-funded secondary in England between 2017/18 and 2023/24

		2017/18	2018/19	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24
Total	Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	19,204	20,776	43,040	51,268	55,929	63,348
	Number of pupil enrolments	104,334	115,485	143,115	160,094	180,421	205,627
	Number of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	1,976	2,498	3,971	6,218	8,415	11,223
	Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	18.4%	18.0%	30.1%	32.0%	31.0%	30.8%
	Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	1.9%	2.2%	2.8%	3.9%	4.7%	5.5%
Special	Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	5,865	6,321	16,657	14,051	14,604	15,235
	Number of pupil enrolments	28,091	31,334	38,145	42,147	46,234	50,407
	Number of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	615	705	1,271	1,356	1,609	1,978
	Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	20.9%	20.2%	43.7%	33.3%	31.6%	30.2%
	Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	2.2%	2.2%	3.3%	3.2%	3.5%	3.9%
State-funded primary	Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	6,473	7,000	12,218	17,265	18,515	20,474
	Number of pupil enrolments	41,057	45,558	55,579	61,559	68,702	78,664
	Number of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	436	556	919	1,285	1,723	2,299
	Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	15.8%	15.4%	22.0%	28.0%	26.9%	26.0%
	Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	1.1%	1.2%	1.7%	2.1%	2.5%	2.9%
State-funded secondary	Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	6,866	7,455	14,165	19,952	22,810	27,639
	Number of pupil enrolments	35,186	38,593	49,391	56,388	65,485	76,556
	Number of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	925	1,237	1,781	3,577	5,083	6,946
	Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)	19.5%	19.3%	28.7%	35.4%	34.8%	36.1%
	Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)	2.6%	3.2%	3.6%	6.3%	7.8%	9.1%

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.

Source: Pupil absence in schools in England, Absence by pupil characteristics

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