Reporting year 2024

Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England

This is the latest data

• Published: 10 April 2025
• Last updated: 1 July 2025
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  1. 1 July 2025

     New content (tables and explanatory text) added on outcomes at the early years foundation stage.

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• Produced by: Department for Education

This statistical release provides a range of outcome measures at national and local authority level for children in need (CIN), including children looked after (CLA) by local authorities in England.

The outcome measures cover:

• special educational needs
• early years development (early years foundation stage profile)
• educational attainment (Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4) and progress (Key Stage 4)
• destinations from school
• absence from school
• suspensions and permanent exclusions from school
• free school meal eligibility
• type of school attended.

Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 data is also published at national level for children who were previously looked after who left care through an adoption, special guardianship, or child arrangements order (Official Statistics).

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) data is included in this publication for the first time in 2023/24. The data, published at national and local authority level, was added to this release in July 2025.

This publication previously included the results of end of KS1 assessments. These became non-statutory from the 2023/24 academic year onwards. Optional assessments were still offered but the results of these are not collected and statistics will not be published. 

This publication previously included Key Stage 2 progress measures. These measures will not be published for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years as KS2 pupils in these years did not have KS1 assessments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest facts and figures relate to the reporting year ending 31 March 2024 for children in social care. Throughout this release, comparisons are made with 2022/23 and 2018/19 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic).

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Releases in this series

View releases (14)

• Reporting year 2023
• Reporting year 2022
• Reporting year 2021
• Reporting year 2020
• Reporting Year 2019
• Reporting Year 2018
• Reporting Year 2017
• Reporting Year 2016
• Reporting Year 2015
• Reporting Year 2014
• Reporting Year 2013
• Reporting Year 2012
• Reporting Year 2011
• Reporting Year 2010

Methodologies

• Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England

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Headline facts and figures - 2024

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Social care groups

Summary

The social care groups cover children in need (CIN), children on a child protection plan (CPP) and children looked after (CLA) by local authorities in England.  Where appropriate, an ‘all pupils comparison’ from the relevant national statistics is included for each outcome.

Detailed information on the social care groups and the all pupils comparisons is provided in the methodology document.

Abbreviations of social care group names used throughout this release 

• CIN - children in need, including children on a child protection plan and children looked after. Children in need includes children on child in need plans as well as other types of plan or arrangements. Children in need also includes children awaiting a referral to be considered, an assessment to start or, for an assessment which has started, for the assessment to be completed.
• CINO - children in need, excluding children on a child protection plan and children looked after. 
• CPPO - children on a child protection plan, excluding children looked after.
• CLA - children looked after (excludes children who are in respite care in their most recent episode during the reporting year).

Social care groups included in the commentary (referred to as key social care groups):

• CIN at 31 March
• CINO at 31 March
• CPPO at 31 March
• CLA 12 months at 31 March - CLA continuously for at least twelve months at 31 March.
• CLA less than 12 months at 31 March - CLA continuously for less than twelve months at 31 March

Social care groups included in both national and local authority level data:

• CINO at 31 March
• CPPO at 31 March (where numbers are large enough).
• CLA 12 months at 31 March (excluding free school meals at both national and local authority level)
• CIN at any point - ‘any point’ means at any point during the reporting year (including at 31 March). Only included at local authority level for early years foundation stage profile outcomes.

Social care groups included in national level data only:

• All pupils comparison - from the national publications.
• CIN at 31 March
• CLA less than 12 months at 31 March
• CINO at any point
• CPPO at any point
• CLA at any point
• Ever CIN - last 6 years - children in need, at any point in the last 6 reporting years (including at 31 March).

Other groups

At Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 there are additional groups in the national level data for children with previously looked after arrangements (PLAA). These are Official Statistics on arrangements for previously looked after children.

• PLAA - Adoption - previously looked after children who left care through an adoption.
• PLAA - SGO - previously looked after children who left care through a special guardianship order (SGO).
• PLAA - CAO - previously looked after children who left care through a child arrangements order (CAO).
• PLAA - Total - previously looked after children who left care through an adoption, SGO or CAO.

Special educational needs

The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.

The percentage of pupils in the key social care groups that have a special educational need (SEN) is over twice that for the overall pupil population.

• The percentage of pupils with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans in the key social care groups is over two and a half times that for the overall pupil population. 
• The percentage of pupils with SEN support in the key social care groups is over one and a half times that of the overall pupil population.

Of all the key social care groups, CLA for at least 12 months have the highest percentage of pupils with SEN (59.5%) compared to CPPO (42.5%), that have the lowest percentage. This compares to 18.1% of pupils with SEN in the overall pupil population.

• For EHC plans, of the key social care groups, CLA for at least 12 months have the highest percentage of pupils (31.9%), almost seven times that of the overall pupil population (4.7%), similar to previous years.
• For SEN support, of the key social care groups, CLA less than 12 months (30.3%) and CPPO (30.2%) have the highest percentage of pupils,over twice that of the overall pupil population (13.4%), similar to previous years.

In 2023/24, compared to 2022/23, the percentage of pupils with SEN across all key social care groups has increased more than the previous year and has increased proportionately more than the overall pupil population. The key social group with the largest increase was CLA less than 12 months (4.0 percentage points), and the smallest increase was for CLA for at least 12 months (1.9 percentage points) compared to the overall pupil population (1.0 percentage point). 

• For EHC plans, the percentage has increased proportionately more for the key social care groups than the overall pupil population compared to 2022/23. Most of the key social care groups have increased over 4 percentage points and the overall pupil population less than 2 percentage points, compared to 2018/19. 
• For SEN support, the percentage has generally remained stable for the key social care groups but has increased slightly for the overall pupil population (1.6 percentage points), compared to 2018/19. 

Pupils with SEN have been recorded to have lower attainment outcomes compared to the overall population. As such, the higher prevalence of SEN amongst children looked after and children in need accounts for some of the difference in attainment compared to the overall pupil population. For more information see the Key Stage 2 attainment statistical release and the Key Stage 4 attainment statistical release. 

Primary type of special education need

For all key social care groups, among pupils with SEN support, the most common type of primary need (for over a third in each social care group ) was social, emotional, and mental health. The most common type of need among the overall pupil population is speech, language, and communications needs. This is similar to previous years.

Social, emotional, and mental health was also the most common type of need among pupils with an EHC plan for CPPO and for both children looked after key social care groups. Autism spectrum disorder was the most common type of need for both CIN key social care groups and for the overall pupil population. For both children looked after key social care groups, these two types of primary need accounted for over 60% of pupils with an EHC plan. This is similar to previous years.

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile measures are included in this publication for the first time in 2023/24

Outcomes for children in social care in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) are included in this publication for the first time in 2023/24. This is the first time since the new framework was introduced in 2021/22 that early years development statistics are broken down by key social care groups, previously covered by a one-off publication for the 2018/19 academic year. We invite feedback from our users on this section, with contact details provided at the bottom of this page.

The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.

Teachers undertake assessments of children’s development at the end of the EYFS, specifically the end of the academic year in which a child turns 5. This is typically the summer term of reception year. The assessment framework, or EYFS Profile (EYFSP), consists of 17 early learning goals (ELGs) across 7 areas of learning.

Within this section comparisons are made to 2021/22 and 2022/23, as significant changes to the EYFS profile prior to the 2021/22 assessments prevent direct comparison with previous years.

For more information see the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile results statistical release.

Summary

Children in the key social care groups have lower levels of development than the overall pupil population across all EYFS profile headline measures. However, a higher proportion of children looked after and children in need have a special educational need (SEN) than the overall pupil population and children with SEN have been recorded to have lower levels of development compared to the overall pupil population. As such, the higher prevalence of SEN amongst children looked after and children in need accounts for some of the difference in the level of development compared to the overall pupil population.

Good level of development

In the EYFS profile, children are defined as having a good level of development if they are at the expected level for all 12 ELGs within the 5 areas of learning relating to: communication and language; personal, social and emotional development; physical development; literacy; and mathematics. 

In 2023/24, 38.4% of CIN had a good level of development compared to 67.7% for the overall pupil population. Of all key social care groups, CLA for at least 12 months had the highest percentage of children with a good level of development (40.2%), while CPPO had the lowest (35.6%).

Among most key social care groups, as well as the overall pupil population, the percentage of children with a good level of development has increased since 2021/22, the first year that used the current assessment framework. Only CLA less than 12 months has seen a slight decrease since 2021/22, from 39.5% to 38.8%.

Since 2022/23, the percentage of children with a good level of development has remained broadly the same for the overall pupil population and most key social care groups, though for CLA for at least 12 months there was a slight fall in this percentage from 41.4% to 40.2% in 2023/24. 

Good level of development by SEN provision

Compared to other key social care groups, CLA for at least 12 months has the highest percentage of children with a good level of development across all types of SEN provision. For children with SEN, the CIN and CINO key social care groups have the lowest percentage with a good level of development (10.7% and 9.1% respectively), broadly around half that of the overall pupil population (19.7%). For children with no identified SEN, the CPPO key social care group has the lowest proportion of children with a good level of development (45.0%).

Good level of development by ethnicity

The percentage of children with a good level of development varies by ethnicity and key social care group.

Children with Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups have the highest percentage with a good level of development in both the overall pupil population (69.5%) and CLA 12 less than 12 months (48.3%).

Children with Asian/Asian British ethnicities have the highest percentage with a good level of development for CIN (44.9%), CPPO (46.5%), and CLA for at least 12 months (47.1%).

For CINO, children with Asian/Asian British (44.3%) and Unknown ethnicity (44.7%) have the highest percentage with a good level of development.

Except for CLA for at least 12 months, children with White ethnicities have the lowest percentage with a good level of development in all key social care groups. This is in contrast to the overall pupil population, where the percentage of children from White ethnicities with a good level of development (69.2%) is only slightly lower than children with Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups (69.5%) as the groups with the highest level of development.
 

Headline measures by social care group

Across all headline measures in the EYFS profile, CLA for at least 12 months have the highest percentage with a good level of development of all the key social care groups. Of this group, 40.2% of children have a good level of development, and 39.1% are at the expected level in all early learning goals, with an average of 10.9 early learning goals per child.

CPPO have the lowest percentage of children with a good level of development (35.6%) as well as the lowest percentage of children at the expected level across all early learning goals (34.1%), almost half that of the overall pupil population. 

Key Stage 2 attainment

The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.

Pupils take national curriculum assessment in year 6, at the end of Key Stage 2, when most pupils will reach age 11 by the end of the academic year. Pupils take tests in reading, mathematics, and grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and receive a teacher assessment in writing and science. The combined reading, writing and mathematics measure uses the results of the reading and mathematics tests and the outcome of the writing teacher assessment.

Progress measures will not be published for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years as KS2 pupils in these years did not have KS1 assessments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information see the Key Stage 2 attainment statistical release.

Summary

Pupils in the key social care groups have lower attainment than the overall pupil population across all Key Stage 2 attainment measures. However, children looked after and children in need have a higher percentage with a special educational need (SEN) than the overall pupil population and pupils with SEN have been recorded to have lower attainment outcomes compared to the overall population. As such, the higher prevalence of SEN amongst children looked after and children in need accounts for some of the difference in attainment compared to the overall pupil population.

Expected standard

For each test or teacher assessment, the number of pupils meeting the expected standard is the sum of all pupils with the following results:

• For the reading, mathematics and grammar, punctuation, and spelling tests: met the expected standard or the higher standard.
• For the writing teacher assessment: working at the expected standard or working at a greater depth.
• For the science teacher assessment: working at the expected standard.

The percentages of pupils in the CIN (47%) and CPPO (44%) key social care groups meeting the expected standard in reading have increased by one percentage point since 2022/23 and are similar to 2018/19. The percentage of CLA meeting the expected standard in reading has decreased by one percentage point for both CLA key social care groups but remains higher than in 2018/19.  For CLA for at least 12 months, 53% in 2023/24 met the expected standard in reading, compared to 54% in 2022/23 and 49% in 2018/19.

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in nearly all other subjects has generally remained stable or slightly increased for the CIN and CPPO key social care groups since 2022/23. However, for CLA key social care groups there has been a decrease across all measures, with the largest differences in maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS). There has been a decrease for GPS in all key social care groups compared to 2022/23 whereas for the overall pupil population it remained stable. Except for reading, generally, the attainment for key social care groups is lower in 2023/24 than in 2018/19.

Despite the general increases for CIN and CPP and decreases for CLA, CLA for at least 12 months has the highest percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard across all subjects in 2023/24.  Across most subjects, CINO have the lowest percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard except for reading, writing and maths combined.

The percentage of pupils in most of the key social care groups meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) is roughly half that for the overall pupil population where 61% met the expected standard. For CLA for at least 12 months, the percentage that met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) decreased by 3 percentage points to 34% in 2023/24 from 37% in both 2022/23 and 2018/19.

Key Stage 4 attainment and progress

The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.

Within this release comparisons are made with 2023 and with 2019. We will compare to 2023 due to it being last year’s data, and to 2019 because it was the last year that summer exams were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic. Users need to exercise extreme caution when considering comparisons over time, as they may not reflect changes in pupil performance alone.

For more information see the Key Stage 4 attainment statistical release.

Summary

Pupils in the key social care groups have lower attainment than the overall pupil population across all Key Stage 4 attainment measures. However, children looked after and children in need have a higher percentage with a special educational need (SEN) than the overall pupil population and pupils with SEN have been recorded to have lower attainment outcomes compared to the overall population. As such, the higher prevalence of SEN amongst children looked after and children in need accounts for some of the difference in attainment compared to the overall pupil population.

Attainment 8

Attainment 8 measures the average achievement of pupils in up to 8 qualifications. This includes: English language; English literature (if only one GCSE in English is taken then it is double weighted); mathematics (double weighted); three further qualifications that count in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc); and three further qualifications that can be GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or any other non-GCSE qualification on the DfE approved list (opens in a new tab) (opens in a new tab).

From 2018, Attainment 8 had a maximum point score of 90, compared to a maximum of 87 in 2017 and 80 in 2016. This is a consequence of the phased introduction of reformed GCSEs graded on the 9-1 scale. These differences should be considered when comparing Attainment 8 scores before 2019.

The average Attainment 8 scores have decreased for pupils in all key social care groups and the overall pupil population compared to 2022/23 and are also lower than in 2018/19. The CPPO key social care group have the largest decrease since 2018/19.

As in 2022/23, the average Attainment 8 scores in 2023/24 for all key social care groups were less than half of  the overall pupil population. The attainment of pupils in the key social care groups in 2023/24 was broadly similar, except for lower attainment for CLA less than 12 months.

Attainment 8 by SEN

For pupils with SEN, the average Attainment 8 score in all key social care groups is less than half of the overall pupil population and is similar for those with an EHC plan. For SEN support and no identified SEN, this difference to the overall pupil population is slightly less.

 

Attainment 8 by ethnicity

Average Attainment 8 scores vary by ethnicity and key social care group. 

For the overall pupil population and CPPO, Asian or Asian British pupils have the highest average Attainment 8 scores. 

For CLA for at least 12 months, Black, African, Caribbean, or Black British pupils have the highest average Attainment 8 score. 

For CLA less than 12 months, CIN and CINO, pupils with Unknown ethnicity have the highest average Attainment 8 scores.

 For CIN and CINO, White pupils have the lowest average score, but for CLA, pupils from other ethnic groups have the lowest average score.

 

Attainment 8 by period of care length

For CLA, average attainment scores increase with longer period of care durations.

 

Attainment in English and mathematics (grades 5 or above)

This measure looks at the percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics GCSEs. To count for this measure a pupil would have to achieve a grade 5 or above in either English literature or English language. There is no requirement to sit both.

The percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics GCSEs has increased in the overall pupil population and the CPPO key social care group since 2022/23, whereas the percentage of pupils in the other key social care groups achieving this measure has decreased from 2022/23.  

For all key social care groups and the overall pupil population the percentage achieving grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics GCSEs is generally higher than or similar to 2018/19. 

In 2023/24, the attainment in English and mathematics (grade 5 or above) for pupils across most key social care groups was broadly similar, except for lower attainment for CLA less than 12 months. The CINO key social care group has higher attainment (10.0%) than other key social care groups, including CLA for at least 12 months (9.0%) and CIN (9.0%).

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) entry

The EBacc shows how many pupils are entering GCSEs (or AS level qualifications) in core academic subjects at Key Stage 4. The EBacc consists of English, mathematics, science, a language, and history or geography. To count in the EBacc, qualifications must be on the English Baccalaureate list of qualifications (opens in a new tab) (opens in a new tab).

In 2020, this measure was less likely to have been affected by the cancellation of examinations as schools will have taken most of their entry decisions ahead of the COVID-19 disruption.

The percentage of pupils entering the EBacc has remained broadly stable for both the overall pupil population and the key social care groups compared to 2022/23,with a slight increase for CLA for at least 12 months and CIN and a slight decrease for the other key social care groups. For all key social care groups and the overall pupil population, the percentage entering EBacc is slightly higher than in 2018/19, with CLA for at least 12 months (11.4%) having the highest increase (2.1 percentage points).

EBacc average point score (EBacc APS)

The EBacc APS measures pupils' point scores across the five pillars of the EBacc - English, mathematics, science, a language, and history or geography - with a zero for any missing pillars. This ensures the attainment of all pupils is recognised, not just those at particular grade boundaries, encouraging schools to enter pupils of all abilities, and support them to achieve their full potential.

For more information on these measures and their calculation methodology, see the secondary accountability guidance (opens in a new tab) (opens in a new tab).

The EBacc average point score is similar for all key social care groups and the overall pupil population in 2023/24 compared to 2022/23 and is roughly in line with 2018/19. All key social care groups have an average point score less than half that of the overall pupil population.

Progress 8

Progress 8 aims to capture the progress a pupil makes from the end of Key Stage 2 to the end of Key Stage 4. It compares pupils' achievement - their Attainment 8 score - with the national average Attainment 8 score of all pupils who had a similar starting point (or ‘prior attainment’), calculated using assessment results from the end of primary school. Progress 8 is a relative measure, therefore the national average Progress 8 score for all pupils is very close to zero. It can be used to compare the progress of different pupil characteristics.

A Progress 8 score of 1.0 means pupils in the group make on average approximately a grade more progress than the national average; a score of -0.5 means they make on average approximately half a grade less progress than average.

The average Progress 8 score is lower for all key social care groups than for the overall pupil population. CLA for at least 12 months has the highest average Progress 8 score of the key social care groups and CLA less than 12 months has the lowest.

Destinations

The most recent Key Stage 4 destination measures follow pupils who were at the end of Key Stage 4 study (GCSE and equivalent qualification) in 2021/22 and reports their destinations in the following academic year (2022/23). They show the percentage of pupils going to an education, apprenticeship or employment destination. To be counted in a destination, young people have to have sustained participation for a 6-month period in the destination year. Further details are provided in the methodology document that accompanies the Key Stage 4 destination measures statistical release.

The percentages for the social care groups are much less than the overall pupil population percentages published in the Key Stage 4 destination measures statistical release. However, it should be noted that the percentages in this outcomes release include additional institutions, so they are not directly comparable. For example, other institutions include: independent schools, independent special schools and secure units.

The percentage of Key Stage 4 leavers in sustained education decreased slightly for most of the key social care groups and was stable for CPPO comparing leavers in 2021/22 with those in 2020/21. Sustained education remained the most common destination. CLA for at least 12 months have the highest percentage in sustained education (71%), while CPPO have the lowest (53%). The percentage of those in sustained employment decreased slightly for CPPO and increased for CLA less than 12 months whereas the other key social care groups remained stable.

Absence

The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.

Due to the disruption caused by the impact of COVID during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years, caution should be taken when comparing data to previous years. No absence data relating to the full 2019/20 academic year is available. For more detailed information on this see Pupil absence in schools in England.

Overall absence

In 2023/24, there has been a small increase in the overall absence rate across all key social care groups since the 2022/23 academic year, whereas there has been a small decrease in absence in the overall pupil population. Overall absence is higher across all key social care groups and the overall pupil population, than in 2018/19.

Pupils in state-funded alternative provision (AP) schools have higher overall absence rates than those in other school types for all key social care groups.

In 2023/24, most of the key social care groups (apart from CLA for at least 12 months) had absence rates more than double that of the overall pupil population (7.3%). CPPO had the highest overall absence rate of all key social care groups (22.3%).

Persistent absentees

A pupil is identified as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of possible sessions.

In 2023/24, the rate of persistent absentees for all key social care groups and the overall pupil population is similar to the 2022/23 academic year and it is higher than in 2018/19.

Pupils in all the key social care groups had higher rates of persistent absence than the overall pupil population (20.3%). CPPO had the highest proportion of pupils (57.2%) who were persistent absentees compared with 20.8% for CLA for at least 12 months.

Pupils in state-funded AP schools had much higher persistent absence rates for all key social care groups.

Severe absentees

A pupil is identified as severely absent if they miss 50% or more of possible sessions.

In 2023/24, there has been an increase in the severe absence rate across all key social care groups and the overall pupil population since the 2022/23 academic year and it is higher, than in 2018/19.

Pupils in all key social care groups had higher rates of severe absence than the overall pupil population (2.5%). CPPO had the highest proportion of pupils (15.6%) who were severe absentees compared with 5.7% for CLA for at least 12 months.

Pupils in state-funded AP schools had much higher severe absence rates for all the key social care groups.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions data is collected two terms in arrears, which means the latest available data for the full academic year is 2022/23.

The figures presented in this publication include the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years that were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data for all pupils are produced using a different methodology to that used for the social care groups, so it is not appropriate to make precise comparisons with suspensions and exclusions figures for all pupils. For more information see the methodology document.

Suspensions

Pupils with one or more suspensions refers to pupils that had at least one suspension across the full academic year.

In 2022/23, the percentage of pupils with one or more suspensions increased across all key social care groups and the overall pupil population since the 2021/22 academic year with figures at their highest in recent years. 

Within the key social care groups, CLA less than 12 months has the highest rate of suspensions (16.73%) and CINO has the lowest rate (13.62%), which follows the same pattern as previous years.

 

Permanent exclusions

A permanent exclusion refers to a pupil who is excluded and will not come back to that school (unless the exclusion is overturned). This data only includes permanent exclusions which have been upheld by the governing body or Independent Review Panel (IRP), and not those which are still ongoing. The permanent exclusion percentage is calculated as the number of permanent exclusions divided by the number of pupils (x100).

In 2022/23, the percentage of pupils permanently excluded increased across most key social care groups and the overall pupil population since the 2021/22 academic year, whereas for CLA less than 12 months it decreased slightly. Permanent exclusions are higher across the CIN and CPPO key social care groups and the overall pupil population, than in 2018/19.

The percentage of pupils across all key social care groups who were permanently excluded declined between 2018/19 and 2020/21. However, this was driven by restrictions on school attendance in place for parts of the year during 2019/20 and 2020/21, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as described above.

The percentage of pupils permanently excluded for CLA for at least 12 months was 0.10%, which was similar to the overall pupil population (0.11%). In comparison, CPPO has the highest permanent exclusion rate (1.31%) of any of the key social care groups.

Free school meals

The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.

Pupils in state-funded schools in England are entitled to receive free school meals if a parent or carer was in receipt of certain benefits. More information on free school meal eligibility is provided in the department's Schools, pupils and their characteristics statistical release.

Since 1 April 2018, transitional protections have been in place which will continue during the roll out of Universal Credit. This has meant that pupils eligible for free school meals on or after 1 April 2018 retain their free school meals eligibility even if their circumstances change. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this had been the main driver in the increase in the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals as pupils continue to become eligible but fewer pupils stop being eligible.

Any pupil gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 will be protected against losing free school meals until March 2025. After March 2025, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).

The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) has been increasing following the COVID-19 pandemic in the CIN and CPPO social care groups and the overall population, this continuing year on year increase reflects the continuation of the transitional protections introduced in 2018 described above. 

For CPPO (78.1%) and CIN (61.6%) the percentage eligible for free school meals is at least 2.5 times higher than for the overall pupil population (24.6%).

Children who have been in need in the last 6 years

There were 848,550 pupils (in state-funded primary and secondary schools, special schools, and state-funded alternative provision (AP) schools) in 2023/24 that were known to have been in need in the last 6 years:

This is equivalent to approximately 1 in 10 pupils. This has been stable since this measure was introduced in the publication in 2019/20. 

Around two in five children who have been in need in the last six years (40.4%) had a special educational need; more than twice the rate of the overall pupil population (18.1%), with more than three in five of these children (62.5%) being eligible for free school meals, compared to nearly a quarter (24.6%) of the overall pupil population. 

Around two fifths (39.8%) of compulsory school age children who have been in need in the last six years were persistently absent from school, which is almost twice the rate of the overall pupil population (20.3%).

Less than a fifth of children who have been in need in the last six year (17.5%) achieved a grade 5 or above in GCSE English and mathematics, compared to nearly half of the overall pupil population (45.9%), while their average Attainment 8 score was 26.2 compared to 45.9 for the overall pupil population.

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Methodology

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• Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England

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• well explained and readily accessible

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England statistics and data:

Children Looked After Data Team

Email: CLA.STATS@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Bree Waine

Press office

If you have a media enquiry:

Telephone: 020 7783 8300

Public enquiries

If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:

Telephone: 037 0000 2288

Opening times:
Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays)