Academic year 2022/23

Pupil absence in schools in England

This is the latest data

• Published: 21 March 2024
• Last updated: 21 March 2024
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  1. 21 March 2024

     Local authority and regional data added to Characteristics file for 2022/23.

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This National Statistics release looks at pupil absence in the 2022/23 academic year, including by reason and school types, derived from the school census.

Experimental official statistics produced from daily data submitted automatically by schools to the Department are available in the Pupil attendance in schools publication. Due to the timeliness of the data and that they are based on a subset of schools, those figures are estimates that we expect to change as registers are adjusted. They should be viewed as an early indicator for the data provided in later National Statistics releases.

This release is derived from the school census from which further analysis, such as school level absence rates and additional characteristics, can be produced unlike the daily data and the education settings survey. The categories of absence in this release match those used on school registers and differ to those used in the education settings survey.

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Headline facts and figures - 2022/23

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Overall absence

Absence rate is the total number of sessions missed due to absence for all pupils as a percentage of the total number of possible sessions for all pupils. One session is equal to half a day. 

Not attending in circumstances related to coronavirus (COVID-19) 

From 2020/21, not attending in circumstances related to coronavirus (COVID-19) has not been counted as an absence, but has been included as a possible session in the calculation of absence rates. This has included where pupils were self-isolating and shielding, including when a class or bubble has been required to stay at home. During these sessions, pupils were expected to not attend or were prohibited from attending and so they are treated separately and not counted within the standard absence rates within this publication.

In 2021/22, this category should mostly have been used to record where a pupil was absent from school with symptoms of COVID-19 whilst awaiting the results of a test. From April 2022, in line with our transition to living with COVID-19, schools were no longer advised to record pupils who did not attend for reasons related to COVID-19 using Code X. This was in line with the fact that pupils with symptoms of COVID-19 were no longer advised to get a test, and most of the scenarios that this category was brought into to record no longer applied. Instead, where a pupil did not attend because they have symptoms of COVID-19 or had a positive test, schools were advised to record this using Code I (illness) unless another more appropriate code applied.

From April 2022, schools were advised to no longer use this category and as such no figures are presented in this publication for this category for 2022/23. 

Overall absence has decreased, driven by a decrease in authorised absence including illness

The overall absence rate has decreased to 7.4% in 2022/23 from 7.6% in 2021/22. Further, in 2021/22, 1.0% of sessions were recorded as not attending due to COVID. Schools were advised to no longer use this category from April 2022, hence this has dropped to zero in 2022/23.

Decreases can be seen in both state-funded primary and special schools, while the rate in state-funded secondary has remained stable at 9.0%.

Authorised absence has decreased, while unauthorised absence has increased

There has been a decrease in authorised absence, from 5.5% to 5.0%, driven by a decrease in illness absence, from 4.4% of sessions to 3.7% of sessions. 

There has been an increase in unauthorised absence over the same period however, from  2.1% to 2.4%.

The reduction in authorised and increase in unauthorised absence is seen across all school types.

When comparing across previous years, the effect of COVID-19 needs to be considered

For the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years, data were collected on pupils not attending due to circumstances relating to coronavirus (Code X). In these circumstances, schools were expected to provide immediate access to remote education. From April 2022, schools were advised to no longer use this category. Throughout the pandemic, schools were advised to record pupils with a confirmed case of COVID-19 as absent due to illness (Code I). 

In 2020/21, 21.3% of possible sessions were recorded as not attending in circumstances relating to COVID-19 (Code X), this reduced to 1.0% in 2021/22. The illness rate, including confirmed cases of COVID-19, peaked in 2021/22 at 4.4% (Code I).

The largest reason for absence is illness

Illness absence rate decreased from 4.4% to 3.7% in 2022/23, however this remains higher than rates seen pre-pandemic. Unauthorised other reasons were the next highest reason for absence at 1.7% in 2022/23, following an increase from 1.4%. The unauthorised holiday rate increased slightly from 0.4% to 0.5% in 2022/23.

The overall absence rate was 7.5% in autumn term 2022/23, decreased to 7.0% in spring term 2022/23 and then increased to 7.6% in summer term 2022/23. This trend was followed in both state-funded primary and secondary schools. Absence rates decreased across the school year in special schools.

Authorised absence decreased across the year from 5.4% in autumn term to 4.6% in summer term, while unauthorised absence increased across the school year. 

Persistent absence

A pupil enrolment is identified as persistently absent if  10% or more of possible sessions are missed, and severely absent if more than 50% of possible sessions are missed.

The persistent absence rate has decreased

The number of persistently absent pupils has decreased from 1.64 million in 2021/22 to 1.57 million in 2022/23. 

This equates to 21.2% of pupils who were persistently absent in 2022/23, a reduction from 22.5% in 2021/22. Decreased persistent absence rates were seen across all school types in the latest period.

Before the pandemic, in 2018/19 the persistent absence rate was 10.9%.

2.0% of pupil enrolments were severely absent in 2022/23. This is an increase from 1.7% across the same period in 2021/22 and equates to 150,000 pupil enrolments.

Please note: these pupils were recorded on the school census as being on the roll of a school, and had possible sessions recorded during the academic year. For information on the number of children who are not in education, please see: Children missing education

There were 2.01 million pupil enrolments (27.5%) who missed 10% or more possible sessions due to absence or not attending in circumstances relating to COVID in 2021/22. Therefore, the number of pupils who were absent or not attending in circumstances relating to COVID for 10% or more session has reduced by 440,000 from 2021/22 to 2022/23.

Persistent absence was lowest in spring term 2022/23

In line with the changes in overall absence, the rate of persistent absentees was lowest in spring term 2022/23 at 20.6%, following a reduction from 24.2% in autumn term 2022/23, and then increasing to 23.9% in summer term 2022/23.

Absence by pupil characteristics

The following looks at absence rates by pupil characteristics. For comparison, the overall absence rate for pupils across all schools was 7.4% in 2022/23, while the persistent absence rate was 21.2%.

Free school meals (FSM)

The overall absence rate for pupils who are eligible for free school meals was 11.1% in 2022/23, up from 10.8% in the previous year. This compares to 6.1% for those pupils who were not eligible for free school meals, a decrease from 6.5%.

36.5% of pupils who were eligible for free school meals were persistently absent in 2022/23, a decrease from 37.2% in 2021/22. This compares to 15.6% of pupils who were not eligible, a decrease from 17.5%.   

Special educational needs (SEN)  

The overall absence rate for pupils with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan was 12.3% in 2022/23, an increase from 12.1% in 2021/22. This compares to 10.2% for pupils with SEN support (increase from 10.0%) and 6.6% with no identified SEN (decrease from 6.9%). 

While the overall absence rates have increased for those with SEN, persistent absence has decreased across each cohort. 36.0% of pupils with an EHC plan were persistently absent in this period, a reduction from 36.9% in 2021/22. This compares to 31.1% for pupils with SEN support (decrease from 32.0%) and 18.4% for pupils with no identified SEN (decrease from 20.0%).

Year groups

Typically absence rates increase as age increases. The highest absence rates were in year 11 at 10.7%, and year 10 at 10.3%, compared to 7.4% for all pupils. This is a similar pattern to previous years. 

Persistent absence follows a similar trend, ranging from 15.1% in year 3, to 30.5% in year 11.  

Ethnicity

Traveller of Irish Heritage and Gypsy/Roma pupils had the highest overall absence rates at 22.9% and 18.2% in 2022/23.  Chinese and Black African pupils had the lowest rates at 3.4% and 4.7%. This follows similar trends to previous years. Similar patterns are shown in persistent absence rates.

Sex

The overall absence rate for male pupils was 7.3% and for female pupils was 7.4%, while persistent absence was 21.4% for girls and 21.0% for boys respectively. 

Young carers

Data on absence rates for young carers is available for the first time from 2022/23. The overall absence rate for pupils identified as young carers was 12.3%, compared to 7.3% for those who had no young carer status declared. 39.0% of pupils identified as young carers were persistently absent in 2022/23, compared to 21.1% for those who had no young carer status declared. 

As this is a new data collection, we expect the quality of the data returns to improve over time as the collection becomes established. All schools (except nursery) must send this information as part of the Spring school census but the recording and handling of the information is at the school’s discretion. 79% of schools recorded no young carers in 2023.

The young carer indicator identifies, for those children on roll on spring census day, whether they have been identified as a young carer either by the school (including where the pupil self declares) or by parent or guardian.

Section 17ZA of the Children Act 1989 says a young carer is a person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care for another person (which isn’t to a contract or voluntary work).

Young carers carry immense responsibility in providing care and support at home but their own needs may remain ‘hidden’ from wider view. The increased pressures young carers have faced due to the pandemic has further highlighted the need to improve formal identification of this cohort in schools, understand their needs and to provide early help as outlined in statutory guidance on keeping children safe in education.

Working together to safeguard children also outlines how school and college staff should be particularly alert to the potential need of early help for students who have taken on caring responsibilities.

Geographical variations

Absence rates vary across the country, from 6.9% in Outer London to 7.8% in the North East. Persistent absence also varies, from 20.1% in Outer London and the East Midlands to 22.5% in the North East. 

The map below shows absence rates by local authority.

Additional context relating to coronavirus (COVID-19)

In 2020/21 and 2021/22, data was collected on the number of sessions recorded as not attending in circumstances related to coronavirus (COVID-19). This has not been counted as an absence, but has been included as a possible session in the calculation of absence rates. This has included where pupils were self-isolating and shielding, including when a class or bubble has been required to stay at home. During these sessions, pupils were expected to not attend or were prohibited from attending and so they are treated separately and not counted within the standard absence rates within this publication.

In 2021/22, this category should mostly have been used to record where a pupil was absent from school with symptoms of COVID-19 whilst awaiting the results of a test. From April 2022, in line with our transition to living with COVID-19, schools were no longer advised to record pupils who did not attend for reasons related to COVID-19 using a separate code (Code X). This was in line with the fact that pupils with symptoms of COVID-19 were no longer advised to get a test, and most of the scenarios that this category was brought into to record no longer applied. Instead, where a pupil did not attend because they have symptoms of COVID-19 or had a positive test, schools were advised to record this using Code I (illness) unless another more appropriate code applied.

These figures do not include absence due to positive COVID cases. Where a pupil was not attending in these circumstances, schools were expected to provide immediate access to remote education. 

When a pupil has initially self-isolated pending a coronavirus test result, the school should have recorded the pupil as not attending in circumstances related to coronavirus. If the pupil subsequently tested positive the school should have recorded the pupil as being absent due to illness and they would be included as an absence.

Further information

This publication looks at absence rates in 2022/23. Data on earlier years is published in previous releases in this series, and the ‘Attendance in education and early years settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’ statistics release.

Full guidance (now withdrawn from use) on recording attendance in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) during the 2021/22 academic year is available online at: Addendum: recording attendance in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) during the 2021 to 2022 academic year - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, published by ONS, gives information about infection rates, includes those amongst the primary and secondary school age groups.

Further absence and attendance data sources

Pupil attendance in schools (official statistics in development)

Official statistics in development are produced from daily data submitted automatically by schools to the Department, and are available in the Pupil attendance in schools publication. Due to the timeliness of the data and that they are based on a subset of schools, the figures are estimates that we expect to change as registers are adjusted. They should be viewed as an early indicator for the data provided in later national statistics releases.

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Methodology

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• Pupil absence statistics: methodology

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