Autumn and spring term 2023/24

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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• Produced by: Department for Education
• Published: 17 October 2024

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• Featured tables

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• Data sets: download or create tables

  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.

• Data guidance

  Description of the data sets included in this release, including information on data sources, coverage, quality and any data conventions used.

• Data catalogue

  Alternatively use our data catalogue to search and filter for specific data sets from this release or our entire library, providing full data summaries, data previews and access to API data sets.

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Featured tables

Featured tables are pre-prepared tables created from a statistical release's data sets. They provide statistics that are regularly requested by some users (such as local councils, regional government or government policy teams) and can be adapted to switch between different categories (such as different geographies, time periods or characteristics where available).

6 featured tables

• Absence rates by school type, from autumn and spring 2018/19

  Overall, authorised and unauthorised absence rates by school type, autumn and spring 2018/19 to autumn and spring 2023/24

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• Persistent absence and severe absence rates, from autumn and spring 2018/19

  Rates of persistent absence (10% of sessions missed) and severe absence (50% of sessions missed) by school type, autumn and spring 2018/19 to autumn and spring 2023/24

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• Absence rates by region, autumn and spring 2023/24

  Overall absence rate and persistent absence rate by region

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• Absence rates by local authority, autumn and spring 2023/24

  Overall absence rate and persistent absence rate by local authority

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• Absence rates by pupil characteristics, autumn and spring term 2022/23 to autumn and spring term 2023/24

  Overall absence and persistent absence rates by free school meal (FSM) eligibility, SEN provision, sex and year group

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• Absence rates in state-funded alternative provision (including PRU), from autumn and spring 2018/19

  Includes overall, authorised and unauthorised absence rates, percentage of persistent and severe absentees, from autumn and spring 2018/19 to autumn and spring 2023/24

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Data sets: download or create tables

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.

21 data sets available for download

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• Absence by geographic level - autumn and spring terms combined

  Local authority, National, Regional

  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.

  • Number of rows: 5,635
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised holiday rate
    • Authorised other rate
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

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• Absence by school level - autumn and spring terms combined

  School

  School level 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.

  • Number of rows: 148,551
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised holiday rate
    • Authorised other rate
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

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• Absence by geographic level - termly

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Termly 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.

  • Number of rows: 9,641
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised holiday rate
    • Authorised other rate
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2018/19 Autumn term to 2023/24 Spring term

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• Absence by pupil characteristics - autumn and spring terms combined

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Absence information by pupil characteristics including SEN provision, free school meal (FSM) eligibility, language, year group, sex and ethnicity

  • Number of rows: 225,134
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate exact
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
  • Filters:
    • Characteristic
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

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• Absence in state-funded alternative provision - autumn and spring terms combined

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Absence information for state-funded alternative provision (including pupil referral units, alternative provision academies and free schools).

  • Number of rows: 1,516
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of authorised holiday sessions
  • Time period: 2013/14 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

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• Absence for four year olds - autumn and spring terms combined

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Overall absence for all enrolments in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools for pupils aged 4.

  • Number of rows: 4,034
  • Indicators:
    • Number of overall absence sessions
    • Number of pupil enrolments
    • Number of schools
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

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• Absence for four year olds - school level - autumn and spring terms combined

  School

  School level overall absence for all enrolments in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools for pupils aged 4.

  • Number of rows: 115,009
  • Indicators:
    • Number of overall absence sessions
    • Number of pupil enrolments
    • Number of schools
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

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• Absence as a percentage of possible sessions by band - autumn and spring terms combined

  National

  The number of pupil enrolments by their absence in the two term period as a percentage of possible sessions. Covers overall absence, authorised absence and unauthorised absence. Data by one percent bands.

  • Number of rows: 2,856
  • 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 illness absence
    • Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for non-attendance due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Filters:
    • Absence percentage band
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

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• Absence by geographic level - full academic years

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Absence information for full academic years 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.

  • Number of rows: 10,337
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate (persistent absentees only)
    • Authorised holiday rate
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2006/07 to 2022/23

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• Absence by school level - full academic years

  School

  Absence information for all enrolments in state-funded primary and secondary schools and special schools (from 2016/17) including information on overall absence, persistent absence and reason for absence for pupils aged 5-15

  • Number of rows: 191,017
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate (persistent absentees only)
    • Authorised holiday rate
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2013/14 to 2022/23

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• Enrolments with one or more sessions of absence - full academic years

  Local authority, National, Regional

  The number of enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence.

  • Number of rows: 6,466
  • 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 2022/23

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• Enrolments with one or more session of absence - school level - full academic years

  School

  The number of enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence, at school level.

  • Number of rows: 191,017
  • 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: 2013/14 to 2022/23

  Data set information page
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• Absence as a percentage of possible sessions by band - full academic years

  National

  The number of pupil enrolments by overall, authorised and unauthorised absence percentage point bands.

  • Number of rows: 3,672
  • 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 illness absence
    • Number of all pupil enrolments that fall into that per cent band for non-attendance due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Filters:
    • Absence percentage band
    • School type
  • Time period: 2013/14 to 2022/23

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• Absence for four year olds - full academic years

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Overall absence for all enrolments in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools for pupils aged 4.

  • Number of rows: 5,724
  • Indicators:
    • Number of overall absence sessions
    • Number of pupil enrolments
    • Number of schools
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2012/13 to 2022/23

  Data set information page
  Create table

• Absence for four year olds - school level - full academic years

  School

  School level overall absence for all enrolments in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools for pupils aged 4.

  • Number of rows: 147,664
  • Indicators:
    • Number of overall absence sessions
    • Number of pupil enrolments
    • Number of schools
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2013/14 to 2022/23

  Data set information page
  Create table

• Absence in state-funded alternative provision - full academic years

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Absence information for full academic years for all enrolments in state-funded alternative provision (including pupil referral units) with information on overall absence, persistent absence and reason for absence for pupils aged 5-15.

  • Number of rows: 1,374
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of authorised holiday sessions
  • Time period: 2013/14 to 2022/23

  Data set information page
  Create table

• Absence in state-funded alternative provision - school level - full academic years

  School

  School level absence information for full academic years for all enrolments in state-funded alternative provision (including pupil referral units) with information on overall absence, persistent absence and reason for absence for pupils aged 5-15.

  • Number of rows: 3,127
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
    • Number of authorised holiday sessions
  • Time period: 2013/14 to 2022/23

  Data set information page
  Create table

• Absence by pupil characteristics - full academic years

  Local authority, National, Regional

  Absence information by characteristics 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. Characteristics included are sex, year group, free school meal (FSM) eligibility, SEN provision, ethnicity and language.

  • Number of rows: 218,241
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate exact
    • Authorised holiday rate
  • Filters:
    • Characteristic
    • School type
  • Time period: 2017/18 to 2022/23

  Data set information page
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• Enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence - school level - autumn and spring term combined

  School

  The number of enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence.

  • Number of rows: 148,551
  • Indicators:
    • 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
    • Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to exceptional circumstances
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

  Data set information page
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• Enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence - autumn and spring term combined

  Local authority, National, Regional

  School level number of enrolments with one or more session of absence, including by reason for absence.

  • Number of rows: 4,501
  • Indicators:
    • 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
    • Number of enrolments with at least one absence session due to exceptional circumstances
  • Filters:
    • School type
  • Time period: 2016/17 Autumn and spring term to 2023/24 Autumn and spring term

  Data set information page
  Create table

• Absence rates by pupil characteristic - spring term

  National

  Absence information by characteristics 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. Characteristics included are sex, year group, free school meal eligibility, SEN provision, ethnicity and language.

  • Number of rows: 876
  • Indicators:
    • Authorised absence rate
    • Authorised absence rate exact
    • Number of authorised absence sessions
  • Filters:
    • Characteristic
    • School type
  • Time period: 2020/21 Spring term to 2023/24 Spring term

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Data guidance

Description of the data sets included in this release, including information on data sources, coverage, quality and any data conventions used.

Description

This document describes the data included in the ‘Pupil absence in schools in England’ accredited official statistics release’s underlying data files. This data is released under the terms of the Open Government License (opens in a new tab) (opens in new tab) and is intended to meet at least 3 stars for Open Data (opens in a new tab) (opens in new tab). The methodology 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:

• reasons for absence
• absence by pupil characteristic
• rates of persistent and severe absence
• separate absence information for state-funded alternative provision (including pupil referral units, alternative provision academies and free schools)

The information is based on pupil level absence data collected via the school census.

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. 

‘x’  Not available.

‘z’  Not applicable

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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

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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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