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Autumn term 2020/21
Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term
Data guidance
Published
Description
This document describes the data included in the ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: Autumn term 2020/21’ National Statistics release’s underlying data files. This data is released under the terms of the Open Government License (opens in a new tab) and is intended to meet at least 3 stars for Open Data (opens in a new tab).
The absence methodology document should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data.
Coverage
This release provides information on the levels of overall, authorised and unauthorised absence in:
state-funded primary schools
state-funded secondary schools
special schools
It includes information on:
reasons for absence
persistent absentees
separate absence information for pupil referral units (including alternative provision academies and free schools)
The information is based on pupil level absence data collected via the school census.
The underlying data files include national, regional and local authority absence information from autumn 2006 to autumn 2020 for England. School level absence data is included from autumn 2016 to autumn 2020. Termly absence data has been collected from special schools from autumn 2016 and appears in the underlying data from that point. Data from autumn 2006 to autumn 2015 cover primary and secondary schools only.
File formats and conventions
Rounding and Suppression
This dataset has not had suppression applied. Rates are presented to one decimal place in the report but are unrounded in the underlying data files
Conventions
The following convention is used throughout the underlying data.
‘:’ Not available.
‘z’ Not applicable
Data files
All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.
01 - Absence rates by geographic level
Filename
absence_1term_nat_reg_la_sch.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2006/07 Autumn term to 2020/21 Autumn term
Content
Absence information for all enrolments in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools including information on overall absence, persistent absence and reason for absence for pupils aged 5-15.
National, Regional and Local Authority data from 2006/07.
School data is included from 2016/17. Primary and secondary only before 2016/17.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
enrolments
Number of pupil enrolments
enrolments_PA_10_exact
Number of persistent absentees
enrolments_pa_10_exact_percent
Percentage of persistent absentees
num_schools
Number of schools
school_type
School type - Filter by school type - Total includes primary, secondary and special
sess_auth_appointments
Number of medical appointments sessions
sess_auth_appointments_rate
Medical appointments rate
sess_auth_excluded
Number of excluded sessions
sess_auth_excluded_rate
Excluded rate
sess_auth_ext_holiday
Number of extended authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_ext_holiday_rate
Extended authorised holiday rate
sess_auth_holiday
Number of authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_holiday_rate
Authorised holiday rate
sess_auth_illness
Number of illness sessions
sess_auth_illness_rate
Illness rate
sess_auth_other
Number of authorised other sessions
sess_auth_other_rate
Authorised other rate
sess_auth_religious
Number of religious observance sessions
sess_auth_religious_rate
Religious observance rate
sess_auth_study
Number of study leave sessions
sess_auth_study_rate
Study leave rate
sess_auth_totalreasons
Number of authorised reasons sessions
sess_auth_totalreasons_rate
Authorised reasons rate
sess_auth_traveller
Number of traveller sessions
sess_auth_traveller_rate
Traveller rate
sess_authorised
Number of authorised absence sessions
sess_authorised_percent
Authorised absence rate
sess_overall
Number of overall absence sessions
sess_overall_percent
Overall absence rate
sess_overall_totalreasons
Number of overall reasons sessions
sess_overall_totalreasons_rate
Overall reasons rate
sess_possible
Number of sessions possible
sess_unauth_holiday
Number of unauthorised holiday sessions
sess_unauth_holiday_rate
Unauthorised holiday rate
sess_unauth_late
Number of late sessions
sess_unauth_late_rate
Late rate
sess_unauth_noyet
Number of no reason yet sessions
sess_unauth_noyet_rate
No reason yet rate
sess_unauth_other
Number of unauthorised other sessions
sess_unauth_other_rate
Unauthorised other rate
sess_unauth_totalreasons
Number of unauthorised reasons sessions
sess_unauth_totalreasons_rate
Unauthorised reasons rate
sess_unauthorised
Number of unauthorised absence sessions
sess_unauthorised_percent
Unauthorised absence rate
sess_x_covid
Number of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_x_covid_rate
Rate of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_y_exceptional
Number of sessions recorded as exceptional circumstances
Footnotes
Total includes state-funded primary and secondary schools. Does not include special schools. Available from 2006/07 to present (data for special schools is available from 2016/17 onwards).
Total includes state-funded primary, secondary and special schools. Data for special schools is available from 2016/17 to present.
Sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances are included as possible sessions but not as an absence within absence rates.
03 - Enrolments with one or more sessions of absence
Filename
absence_1term_one_plus_sessions.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2006/07 Autumn term to 2020/21 Autumn term
Content
The number of enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence. National, Regional and Local Authority data from 2006/07.
School data from 2016/17.
Primary and secondary only before 2016/17.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
enrol_auth_appointments
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to medical or dental appointments
enrol_auth_excluded
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to exclusion
enrol_auth_ext_holiday
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to agreed extended family holiday
enrol_auth_holiday
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to agreed family holiday
enrol_auth_illness
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to illness
enrol_auth_other
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to other authorised circumstances
enrol_auth_religious
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to religious observance
enrol_auth_study
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to study leave
enrol_auth_traveller
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to traveller absence
enrol_authorised
Number of enrolments with at least one authorised absence session
enrol_overall
Number of enrolments with at least one overall absence session
enrol_unauth_holiday
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to family holiday not agreed
enrol_unauth_late
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to arriving late
enrol_unauth_noyet
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to no reason yet
enrol_unauth_other
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to other unauthorised circumstances
enrol_unauthorised
Number of enrolments with at least one unauthorised absence session
enrol_x_covid
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to not attending due to COVID circumstances
enrol_y_exceptional
Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to exceptional circumstances
enrolments
Number of pupil enrolments
num_schools
Number of schools
school_type
School type - Filter by school type
Footnotes
Total includes state-funded primary and secondary schools. Does not include special schools. Available from 2006/07 to present (data for special schools is available from 2016/17 onwards).
Total includes state-funded primary, secondary and special schools. Data for special schools is available from 2016/17 to present.
Overall absence for all enrolments in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools for pupils aged 4.
National, Regional and Local Authority data from 2012/13.
School data from 2016/17. Primary and secondary only before 2016/17. Collected from 2012/13.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
enrolments
Number of pupil enrolments
num_schools
Number of schools
school_type
School type - Filter by school type
sess_overall
Number of overall absence sessions
sess_overall_percent
Overall absence rate
sess_possible
Number of sessions possible
Footnotes
Total includes state-funded primary and secondary schools. Does not include special schools. Available from 2006/07 to present (data for special schools is available from 2016/17 onwards).
Total includes state-funded primary, secondary and special schools. Data for special schools is available from 2016/17 to present.
Sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances are included as possible sessions but not as an absence within absence rates.
05 - Absence as a percentage of possible sessions by percent bands
Filename
absence_1term_one_percent_bandsx.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2006/07 Autumn term to 2020/21 Autumn term
Content
The number of pupil enrolments by their absence in the term as a percentage of possible sessions. Covers overall absence, authorised absence and unauthorised absence.
Data by one percent bands.
Primary and secondary only before 2016/17.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
enrolments_authorised
Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for authorised absence
enrolments_authorised_percent
Percentage of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for authorised absence
enrolments_overall
Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for overall absence
enrolments_overall_percent
Percentage of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for overall absence
enrolments_sess_x_covid
Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for non-attendance due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
enrolments_sess_x_covid_percent
Percentage of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for non-attendance due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
enrolments_unauthorised
Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for unauthorised absence
enrolments_unauthorised_percent
Percentage of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for unauthorised absence
percent_bands
Absence percentage band - Filter by percentage of absence
school_type
School type - Filter by school type
Footnotes
Total includes state-funded primary and secondary schools. Does not include special schools. Available from 2006/07 to present (data for special schools is available from 2016/17 onwards).
Total includes state-funded primary, secondary and special schools. Data for special schools is available from 2016/17 to present.
Absence information by pupil characteristics including age, gender, year group, free school meals, special educational needs, language and ethnicity for England.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
characteristic
Characteristic - Filter by pupil characteristic
enrolments
Number of pupil enrolments
enrolments_pa_10_exact
Number of persistent absentees
enrolments_pa_10_exact_percent
Percentage of persistent absentees
school_type
School type - Filter by school type
sess_auth_appointments
Number of medical appointments sessions
sess_auth_excluded
Number of excluded sessions
sess_auth_ext_holiday
Number of extended authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_holiday
Number of authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_illness
Number of illness sessions
sess_auth_other
Number of authorised other sessions
sess_auth_religious
Number of religious observance sessions
sess_auth_study
Number of study leave sessions
sess_auth_totalreasons
Number of authorised reasons sessions
sess_auth_traveller
Number of traveller sessions
sess_authorised
Number of authorised absence sessions
sess_authorised_pa_10_exact
Number of authorised absence sessions for persistent absentees
sess_authorised_percent
Authorised absence rate
sess_authorised_percent_pa_10_exact
Authorised absence rate exact
sess_overall
Number of overall absence sessions
sess_overall_pa_10_exact
Number of overall absence sessions for persistent absentees
sess_overall_percent
Overall absence rate
sess_overall_percent_pa_10_exact
Overall absence rate exact
sess_overall_totalreasons
Number of overall reasons sessions
sess_possible
Number of sessions possible
sess_possible_pa_10_exact
Number of sessions possible for persistent absentees
sess_unauth_holiday
Number of unauthorised holiday sessions
sess_unauth_late
Number of late sessions
sess_unauth_noyet
Number of no reason yet sessions
sess_unauth_other
Number of unauthorised other sessions
sess_unauth_totalreasons
Number of unauthorised reasons sessions
sess_unauthorised
Number of unauthorised absence sessions
sess_unauthorised_pa_10_exact
Number of unauthorised absence sessions for persistent absentees
sess_unauthorised_percent
Unauthorised absence rate
sess_unauthorised_percent_pa_10_exact
Unauthorised absence rate exact
sess_x_covid
Number of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_x_covid_rate
Rate of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_y_exceptional
Number of sessions recorded as exceptional circumstances
07 - Absence by pupil characteristics - local authority
Filename
absence_1term_la_characteristics2.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority
Time period
2019/20 Autumn term to 2020/21 Autumn term
Content
Absence information by pupil characteristics including age, gender, year group, free school meals, special educational needs, language and ethnicity by local authority
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
characteristic
Characteristic - Filter by pupil characteristic
enrolments
Number of pupil enrolments
enrolments_PA_10_exact
Number of persistent absentees
enrolments_pa_10_exact_percent
Percentage of persistent absentees
school_type
School type - Filter by school type
sess_authorised
Number of authorised absence sessions
sess_authorised_appointments
Number of medical appointments sessions
sess_authorised_excluded
Number of excluded sessions
sess_authorised_ext_holiday
Number of extended authorised holiday sessions
sess_authorised_holiday
Number of authorised holiday sessions
sess_authorised_illness
Number of illness sessions
sess_authorised_other
Number of authorised other sessions
sess_authorised_pa_10_exact
Number of authorised absence sessions for persistent absentees
sess_authorised_percent
Authorised absence rate
sess_authorised_percent_pa_10_exact
Authorised absence rate exact
sess_authorised_religious
Number of religious observance sessions
sess_authorised_study
Number of study leave sessions
sess_authorised_totalreasons
Number of authorised reasons sessions
sess_authorised_traveller
Number of traveller sessions
sess_overall
Number of overall absence sessions
sess_overall_pa_10_exact
Number of overall absence sessions for persistent absentees
sess_overall_percent
Overall absence rate
sess_overall_percent_pa_10_exact
Overall absence rate exact
sess_overall_totalreasons
Number of overall reasons sessions
sess_possible
Number of sessions possible
sess_possible_pa_10_exact
Number of sessions possible for persistent absentees
sess_unauthorised
Number of unauthorised absence sessions
sess_unauthorised_holiday
Number of unauthorised holiday sessions
sess_unauthorised_late
Number of late sessions
sess_unauthorised_noyet
Number of no reason yet sessions
sess_unauthorised_other
Number of unauthorised other sessions
sess_unauthorised_pa_10_exact
Number of unauthorised absence sessions for persistent absentees
sess_unauthorised_percent
Unauthorised absence rate
sess_unauthorised_percent_pa_10_exact
Unauthorised absence rate exact
sess_unauthorised_totalreasons
Number of unauthorised reasons sessions
sess_x_covid
Number of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_x_covid_rate
Rate of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_y_exceptional
Number of sessions recorded as exceptional circumstances