Department for Education
Academic year 2018/19

Pupil absence in schools in England

Pupil absence, including overall, authorised and unauthorised absence and persistent absence by reason and pupil characteristics for the full academic year.

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Data sets present comprehensive open data from which users can create their own tables using the EES table tool or download a zipped CSV file.

12 data sets available for download

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  • Absence by geography

    Local authority, National, Regional, School (CSV only)

    Number of rows
    285,264
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate of persistent absentees
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    Filters
    • School type
    Time period
    2006/07 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by geography
    Create table using Absence by geography

  • Absence by Local Authority by characteristics

    Local authority

    Number of rows
    259,841
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate exact
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    Filters
    • Characteristic
    • School type
    Time period
    2012/13 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by Local Authority by characteristics
    Create table using Absence by Local Authority by characteristics

  • Absence by Local Authority District by characteristics

    Local authority district

    Number of rows
    26,231
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate exact
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    Filters
    • Characteristic
    • School type
    Time period
    2016/17 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by Local Authority District by characteristics
    Create table using Absence by Local Authority District by characteristics

  • Absence by percent bands

    National

    Number of rows
    2,857
    Indicators
    • Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for authorised absence
    • Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for overall absence
    • Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for unauthorised absence
    Filters
    • Absence percentage band
    • School type
    Time period
    2012/13 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by percent bands
    Create table using Absence by percent bands

  • Absence by PLAA

    National

    Number of rows
    21
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of authorised holiday sessions
    Filters
    • School type
    • Type of Post Looked After Arrangements
    Time period
    2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by PLAA
    Create table using Absence by PLAA

  • Absence by pupil residency

    Local authority, Local authority district, National, Regional

    Number of rows
    32,046
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of overall absence sessions
    Filters
    • IDACI band of pupil residence
    • Rurality band of pupil residence
    • School type
    Time period
    2016/17 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by pupil residency
    Create table using Absence by pupil residency

  • Absence by school location

    Local authority, Local authority district, National, Regional, School (CSV only)

    Number of rows
    89,133
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of overall absence sessions
    Filters
    • IDACI band of school location
    • Rurality band of school location
    • School type
    Time period
    2016/17 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by school location
    Create table using Absence by school location

  • Absence by term

    Local authority, National, Regional

    Number of rows
    11,633
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of authorised holiday sessions
    Filters
    • School type
    • Term
    Time period
    2012/13 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence by term
    Create table using Absence by term

  • Absence for 4 year olds

    Local authority, National, Regional, School (CSV only)

    Number of rows
    118,405
    Indicators
    • Number of overall absence sessions
    • Number of pupil enrolments
    • Number of schools
    Filters
    • School type
    Time period
    2012/13 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence for 4 year olds
    Create table using Absence for 4 year olds

  • Absence in Pupil Referral Units

    Local authority, National, Regional, School (CSV only)

    Number of rows
    3,040
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of authorised holiday sessions
    Time period
    2013/14 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Absence in Pupil Referral Units
    Create table using Absence in Pupil Referral Units

  • Enrolments with one or more session of absence

    Local authority, National, Regional, School (CSV only)

    Number of rows
    152,875
    Indicators
    • Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to agreed extended family holiday
    • Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to agreed family holiday
    • Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to arriving late
    Filters
    • School type
    Time period
    2012/13 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Enrolments with one or more session of absence
    Create table using Enrolments with one or more session of absence

  • National absence by characteristics

    National

    Number of rows
    1,838
    Indicators
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate exact
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    Filters
    • Characteristic
    • School type
    Time period
    2012/13 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for National absence by characteristics
    Create table using National absence by characteristics
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Supporting files

Supporting files provide an area for teams to supply non-standard files for download by users where required.

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Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Pupil absence in schools in England statistics and data:

Attendance and exclusions statistics team

Email: schools.statistics@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Attendance and exclusions statistics team

Press office

If you have a media enquiry:

Telephone: 020 7783 8300

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

Phone: 0370 000 2288

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Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed on bank holidays)

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