Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England
Children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England, national and local authority level outcomes including key stage 4 and absence
- Release type
- Produced by
- Department for Education
- Published
Background information
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 (at Early Years Foundation Stage)
- educational attainment (at Key Stage 2 and 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).
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 Optional assessments were still offered but the results of these are not collected, and statistics will not be published.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 and Key Stage 4 progress measures. The Key Stage 2 progress measures will not be published for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years as Key Stage 2 pupils in these years did not have Key Stage 1 assessments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Key Stage 4 progress measures will not be published for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years as Key Stage 4 pupils in these years did not have Key Stage 2 assessments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest facts and figures relate to the reporting year ending 31 March 2025 for children in social care. Within this release, comparisons are made with 2023/24 and 2018/19 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic).
Headline facts and figures
Average Attainment 8
16.9
for CIN at 31 March
Average Attainment 8 score for children in need at 31 March 2025
The 2024/25 average Attainment 8 score for children in need at 31 March 2025.
Sustained destination
68%
for CIN at 31 March
Sustained destination for CIN at 31 March
The percentage of children in need at 31 March 2023 who were at the end of Key Stage 4 in 2022/23 and were in sustained education, employment & apprenticeships in 2023/24.
Persistent Absentees
42.6%
for CIN at 31 March
Persistent absentees for CIN at 31 March 2025
The percentage of children in need at 31 March 2025 who were persistently absent from school in the 2024/25 academic year.
Average Attainment 8
17.3
for CLA 12 months at 31 March
Average Attainment 8 score for CLA 12 months at 31 March 2025
The 2024/25 average Attainment 8 score for children looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 31 March 2025.
Sustained destination
73%
for CLA 12 months at 31 March
Sustained destination for CLA 12 months at 31 March
The percentage of children looked after continuously for at least twelve months at 31 March 2023 who were at the end of Key Stage 4 in 2022/23 and were in sustained education, employment & apprenticeships in 2023/24.
Persistent absentees
20.3%
for CLA 12 months at 31 March
Persistent absentees for CLA 12 months at 31 March 2025
The percentage of children looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 31 March 2025 who were persistently absent from school in the 2024/25 academic year.
The latest facts and figures relate to the reporting year ending 31 March 2025 for children in social care:
- 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; with CLA for at least 12 months (61.2%) over three times that of the overall pupil population (19.2%). Pupils with SEN have been recorded to have lower attainment outcomes, on average, 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.
- Children in all key social care groups had a lower percentage with a good level of development than the overall pupil population (68.3%); CPPO had the lowest percentage of children (33.6%) and CLA for at least 12 months, the highest (42.9%).
- The percentage of pupils in most of the key social care groups meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) at Key Stage 2 is roughly half that for the overall pupil population where 62% met the expected standard.
- Pupils in the key social care groups have lower attainment, on average, than the overall pupil population across all Key Stage 4 attainment measures.
- CLA in long term care broadly have higher Attainment 8 scores than pupils whose most recent period of care is much shorter.
- The percentage of persistent absentees for CLA for at least 12 months was 20.3%, which was only slightly higher than for the overall pupil population (18.5%). However, as with overall absence, this rate was much higher for the other key social care groups.
- 62.9% of CIN at 31 March were eligible for free school meals. This compares to 25.7% for all pupils.
- Around one in 10 pupils in 2024/25 have been a child in need in the last 6 years. This has been stable since this measure was introduced in the publication in 2019/20.
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 of the overall pupil population; with CLA for at least 12 months (61.2%) over three times that of the overall pupil population (19.2%).
- The percentage of pupils with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans in the key social care groups ranges from just over two and a half times to over six times that of the overall pupil population; 33.9% of CLA for at least 12 months had an EHC plan compared with 5.3% of the overall pupil population.
- The percentage of pupils with SEN support / SEN without an EHC plan in the key social care groups is roughly twice that of the overall pupil population.
Pupils with SEN have been recorded to have lower attainment outcomes, on average, 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 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
Social, emotional, and mental health is the most common type of need among pupils with an EHC plan for both CLA and CPPO key social care groups. Autism spectrum disorder is the most common type of need for both CIN key social care groups and for the overall pupil population. For both CLA key social care groups, these two types of primary need account for over 60% of pupils with an EHC plan. This is similar to previous years.
Social, emotional, and mental health is the most common type of need among pupils with SEN support / SEN without an EHC plan, for all key social care groups (over a third in each key social care group). The most common type of need among the overall pupil population is speech, language, and communications needs. This is similar to previous years.
Early Years Foundation Stage
The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile measures were included in this publication for the first time in 2023/24
Teachers undertake assessments of children’s development at the end of the early years foundation stage (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 back to 2021/22, 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, on average, than the overall pupil population across all EYFS Profile headline measures. However, the children looked after and children in need population have a higher percentage with a special educational need (SEN) than the overall pupil population and children with SEN have been recorded, on average, 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
Children are defined as having a good level of development at the end of the EYFS 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 2024/25, there has been an increase in the percentage with a good level of development in most key social care groups and the overall pupil population since 2023/24. Children in all key social care groups had a lower percentage with a good level of development than the overall pupil population (68.3%); CPPO had the lowest percentage of children (33.6%) and CLA for at least 12 months, the highest (42.9%). The percentage with a good level of development is higher across most key social care groups and the overall pupil population, than in 2021/22, the first year that used the current assessment framework.
Good level of development by SEN
CLA for at least 12 months has the highest percentage of children with a good level of development across all types of SEN provision, compared to other key social care groups. For children with SEN, the CIN (10.8%), CINO (10.3%) and CPPO (8.6%) key social care groups have the lowest percentage with a good level of development; roughly half that of the overall pupil population (20.6%). For children with no identified SEN, the CPPO key social care group has the lowest percentage of children with a good level of development (44.4%).
Good level of development by ethnicity
The percentage of children with a good level of development varies across ethnicity and the key social care groups.
Mixed / Multiple ethnic groups have the highest proportion of children with a good level of development in the overall pupil population (69.9%) and in the CLA groups - CLA for less than 12 months (48.5%) and CLA for at least 12 months (48.1%). For CIN and CINO social care groups, children with Asian / Asian British ethnicities have the highest percentage with a good level of development.
In all key social care groups, white ethnic groups have the lowest proportion of children achieving a good level of development, unlike the overall pupil population (69.7%) where it is comparable to the highest percentages from Mixed/ Multiple ethnic groups (69.9%) and Asian / Asian British (67.7%).
Headline measures by social care group
Across all headline measures in the EYFS Profile and across all key social care groups, CLA for at least 12 months has the highest percentage of children with a good level of development (42.9%), the highest percentage of children at the expected level across all early learning goals (41.6%), and the highest average number of early learning goals at the expected level (11.27).
CPPO has the lowest percentage of children with a good level of development (33.6%), the lowest percentage of children at the expected level across all early learning goals (32.2%), (less than half that of the overall pupil population), and the lowest average number of early learning goals at the expected level (10.03).
Key Stage 2 attainment
The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.
Pupils take the 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 Key Stage 2 pupils in these years did not have Key Stage 1 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, on average, than the overall pupil population across all Key Stage 2 attainment measures. However, the children looked after and children in need population have a higher percentage with a special educational need (SEN) than the overall pupil population and pupils with SEN have been recorded, on average, to have lower attainment outcomes 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 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 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 of the overall pupil population where 62% met the expected standard. Performance in reading, writing and maths (combined) has generally remained stable in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24 but is below 2018/19 attainment.
As in previous years, CLA for at least 12 months has the highest percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard across all subjects in 2024/25 (35%); with CINO and CLA for less than 12 months having the lowest percentages across all subjects (30% and 28% respectively).
The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in most subjects has generally remained stable over the past year across all key social care groups with some exceptions for CLA: CLA for at least 12 months in reading and science, and CLA for less than 12 months in reading, and in writing and in maths, with the largest change in reading from 48% in 2023/24 to 43% in 2024/25. Generally, attainment is less than in 2018/19 apart from reading for CLA for at least 12 months and CPPO.
Key Stage 4 attainment
The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.
Within this release comparisons are made with 2024 and with 2019. We will compare to 2024 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.
The Key Stage 4 progress measures will not be published for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years as Key Stage 4 pupils in these years did not have Key Stage 2 assessments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information see the Key Stage 4 attainment statistical release.
Summary
Pupils in the key social care groups have lower attainment, on average, than the overall pupil population across all Key Stage 4 attainment measures. However, the children looked after and children in need population 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, on average, 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 new tab).
The average Attainment 8 scores have decreased slightly for pupils in all key social care groups and the overall pupil population compared to 2023/24 and are also lower than in 2018/19. The CPPO key social care group have the largest decrease since 2018/19.
The average Attainment 8 scores in 2024/25 for all key social care groups were less than half of the overall pupil population, similar to previous years.
Attainment 8 by SEN
For pupils with SEN support and those with an EHC plan, the average Attainment 8 score in most key social care groups is less than half of the overall pupil population.
Attainment 8 by ethnicity
Average Attainment 8 scores vary by ethnicity and key social care group.
For the overall pupil population and most key social care groups with known ethnicity, pupils with Asian / Asian British ethnicity have the highest average Attainment 8 scores. For CLA for at least 12 months with known ethnicity, Black / African / Caribbean / Black British have the highest average Attainment 8 scores.
For CIN, CINO and CPPO, pupils with White ethnicity have the lowest average Attainment 8 scores, and for CLA, pupils from other ethnic groups have the lowest average score.
Attainment 8 by period of care length
For CLA, average attainment scores generally 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 decreased slightly in the overall pupil population and in most of the key social care groups since 2023/24.
For the overall pupil population and CLA for at least 12 months the percentage achieving grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics GCSEs is higher than in 2018/19
In 2024/25, the attainment in English and mathematics (grade 5 or above) for pupils across most key social care groups were less than a quarter of the overall pupil population. CINO had the highest attainment (9.7%) with CLA less than 12 months the lowest (4.2%).
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 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. For most key social care groups and the overall pupil population, the percentage entering EBacc is slightly higher than in 2018/19.
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 new tab).
The EBacc average point score is broadly similar for all key social care groups and the overall pupil population in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24 and is lower than in 2018/19. All key social care groups have an average point score less than half that of the overall pupil population.
Destinations
The key social care groups referred to in this section are ‘at 31 March’.
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 2022/23 and reports their destinations in the following academic year (2023/24). 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.
There has been a change to the methodology used in the Key Stage 4 destination measures release this year. The change has been retrospectively applied to earlier years in the series and in this release.
Further details are provided in the methodology document that accompanies the Key Stage 4 destination measures statistical release.
The sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination 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, additional institutions include: independent schools, independent special schools and secure units.
The percentage of Key Stage 4 leavers in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment decreased slightly for most of the key social care groups in 2023/24 compared with the previous year.
Sustained education remained the most common destination for Key Stage 4 leavers in all key social care groups in 2023/24. CLA for at least 12 months have the highest percentage in sustained education (69%), while CPPO have the lowest (51%). The percentage of those in sustained employment decreased slightly for all the key social care groups.
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 2024/25, there has been a small decrease in the overall absence rate across the CIN, CINO and CPPO key social care groups and the overall pupil population since the 2023/24 academic year, with a small increase for the CLA key social care groups. Most of the key social care groups had absence rates more than double that of the overall pupil population (6.9%); CPPO had the highest (21.8%) and CLA for at least 12 months (9.0%), the lowest. 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.
Persistent absentees
A pupil is identified as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of possible sessions.
In 2024/25, the rate of persistent absentees for most key social care groups and the overall pupil population is lower than the 2023/24 academic year. Pupils in all the key social care groups had higher rates of persistent absence than the overall pupil population (18.5%); CPPO had the highest (55.4%) and CLA for at least 12 months, the lowest (20.3%). The rate of persistent absentees is higher across all key social care groups and the overall pupil population, than in 2018/19.
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 2024/25, there has been a small increase in the severe absence rate across most key social care groups and in the overall pupil population since the 2023/24 academic year. Pupils in all key social care groups had higher rates of severe absence than the overall pupil population (2.6%); CPPO had the highest proportion of pupils (15.4%) and CLA for at least 12 months, the lowest (6.4%). The rate of severe absentees is higher across all key social care groups and the overall pupil population, than in 2018/19.
Pupils in state-funded AP schools had much higher severe absence rates for all 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 2023/24.
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 2023/24, the percentage of pupils with one or more suspensions increased for all key social care groups and the overall pupil population from 2022/23, with figures at their highest in recent years. Within the key social care groups, CLA for less than 12 months has the highest percentage (18.09%) and CINO the lowest (14.24%), 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 2023/24, the percentage of pupils permanently excluded increased across most key social care groups and the overall pupil population since the 2022/23 academic year, whereas for CPPO it decreased slightly. Within the key social care groups, CLA for at least 12 months has the lowest percentage of pupils permanently excluded (0.14%), similar to the overall pupil population (0.13%) and CPPO has the highest (1.10%)
Permanent exclusions are higher for all key social care groups and the overall pupil population, than in 2018/19. The percentage of pupils permanently excluded for all key social care groups declined between 2018/19 and 2020/21. 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.
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 were 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 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 all relevant key social care groups (CIN, CINO, CPPO), the percentage eligible for free school meals is more than twice that of the overall pupil population; with CPPO (78.0%) having the highest percentage, compared to the overall pupil population (25.7%).
Children who have been in need in the last 6 years
More details on the ‘Ever CIN – last 6 years’ social care group used in this section are in the accompanying methodology.
There were 840,910 pupils (in state-funded primary and secondary schools, special schools, and state-funded alternative provision (AP) schools) in 2025 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 (42.1%) had a special educational need; more than twice the rate of all pupils (19.2%). More than three in five children (63.9%) were eligible for free school meals, compared to a quarter (25.7%) of all pupils.
Around two fifths (38.0%) of compulsory school age children who have been in need in the last six years were persistently absent from school, twice the rate of all pupils (18.5%).
Less than a fifth (16.6%) achieved a grade 5 or above in GCSE English and mathematics, compared to nearly half of all pupils (45.4%), while their average Attainment 8 score was 25.6 compared to 46.0 for all pupils.
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.ukContact 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:
Phone: 0370 000 2288
Opening times
Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed on bank holidays)