Autumn and spring term 2024/25

Pupil absence in schools in England

This is the latest release

• Published: 23 October 2025
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• Produced by: Department for Education

This accredited official statistics release covers pupil absence in the autumn and spring terms 2024/25, including by reason and school types. The data has been collected from the school census.

Further releases in this series including the full academic year 2023/24 are available in the drop down menu to the right.

Official statistics produced from daily data submitted automatically by schools to the Department for Education (DfE) are available in the Pupil attendance in schools publication. That publication covers more recent academic terms, although due to the timeliness of the data those figures are estimates of absence that we expect to change as registers are adjusted. They should be viewed as an early indicator for the data provided in these accredited official statistics releases.

We are undertaking a review and welcome feedback from users on the frequency of this publication - email us to provide feedback.

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Releases in this series

View releases (34)

• Autumn term 2024/25
• Academic year 2023/24
• Autumn and spring term 2023/24
• Autumn term 2023/24
• Academic year 2022/23
• Autumn and spring term 2022/23
• Autumn term 2022/23
• Academic year 2021/22
• Autumn and spring terms 2021/2022
• Autumn term 2021/22
• Academic year 2020/21
• Autumn and spring terms 2020/2021
• Autumn term 2020/21
• Autumn term 2019/20
• Academic year 2018/19
• Autumn term 2018/19
• Academic year 2017/18
• Autumn term 2017/18
• Academic year 2016/17
• Autumn term 2016/17
• Academic year 2015/16
• Autumn term 2015/16
• Academic Year 2014/15
• Autumn term 2014/15
• Academic Year 2013/14
• Autumn term 2013/14
• Academic Year 2012/13
• Autumn term 2012/13
• Academic Year 2011/12
• Autumn term 2011/12
• Academic Year 2010/11
• Autumn term 2010/11
• Academic Year 2009/10
• Autumn term 2009/10

Methodologies

• Pupil absence statistics: methodology

Related pages

• Pupil attendance statistics
• Outcomes for children in need
• Children missing education statistics
• Working together to improve school attendance guidance

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Headline facts and figures - 2024/25

Explore data and files used in this release

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• Data catalogue

  Browse and download open data files from this release in our data catalogue

• Data guidance

  Learn more about the data files used in this release using our online guidance

• Download all data (ZIP)

  Download all data available in this release as a compressed ZIP file

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. 

Autumn and spring terms combined

Overall absence decreased compared to the previous autumn and spring terms

The overall absence rate fell to 6.63% in combined autumn and spring terms 2024/25, down from 6.93% across the previous autumn and spring terms, though still above pre-pandemic levels of under 5%. Authorised and unauthorised absence declined by 0.17 and 0.13 percentage points, respectively, compared to 2023/24.

Overall absence decreased across all school types

Across the autumn and spring terms combined, overall absence in 2024/25 decreased compared to 2023/24:

• in primary schools, from 5.40% to 5.16%
• in secondary schools, from 8.49% to 8.09%
• in special schools, from 12.95% to 12.77%

Both authorised and unauthorised absence decreased in primary and secondary schools compared to the previous autumn and spring terms combined. In special schools, authorised absence decreased and unauthorised absence increased slightly.

The most common reason recorded for absence continued to be illness

Illness remained the main reason recorded for absence, accounting for 3.38% of possible sessions - down from 3.63% across the previous autumn and spring terms but still above the pre-pandemic trend of below 3%.

Most other reasons recorded for absence decreased or remained the same when compared to the previous combined autumn and spring terms, apart from medical appointments, lateness and authorised religious observance, which saw slight increases. In spring term 2025 religious observance around Eid al-Fitr fell during term time but in spring term 2024 the celebrations coincided with Easter break for many schools.

Some changes to absence codes were introduced at the start of the 2024/25 academic year, as set out in the working together to improve school attendance (opens in new tab). Absence for holidays during term time can no longer be authorised and new codes were introduced to record authorised absences due to attending an interview, taking part in a regulated performance, or having a temporary part-time timetable.

Spring term

Overall absence has increased from autumn 2024/25 to spring 2024/25

The overall absence rate in spring 2024/25 was 6.92%, an increase from 6.38% in autumn 2024/25, with increases across all school types. An increase from autumn to spring term also occurred in the previous academic year.

Persistent and severe absence

A pupil enrolment is identified as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of their possible sessions, and severely absent if they miss 50% or more of their possible sessions.

Autumn and spring terms combined

The rate of persistent absence decreased compared to the previous combined autumn and spring terms

The number of pupils persistently absent decreased from 1.42 million (19.23%) across autumn and spring terms 2023/24 to 1.29 million (17.63%) in the same period of 2024/25. This remains above the pre-pandemic rate of 10.53% in autumn and spring terms 2018/19.

The rate of severe absence continued to increase

The number of pupils severely absent increased from 158,000 (2.14%) in autumn and spring terms 2023/24 to 166,000 (2.26%) in autumn and spring terms 2024/25. In 2018/19, the severe absence rate was 0.81%.

Persistent absence rates decreased and severe absence rates increased across all school types

Across autumn and spring terms combined, compared to 2023/24 the rate of persistent absence has decreased:

• in primary schools, from 14.67% to 13.31%
• in secondary schools, from 23.85% to 21.86%
• in special schools, from 36.77% to 35.21%

The rate of severe absence increased:

• in primary schools, from 0.83% to 0.92%
• in secondary schools, from 3.50% to 3.62%
• in special schools, from 6.43% to 6.66%

A further breakdown of pupil enrolments by the percentage of sessions missed is available in the data catalogue of this release and in this featured table. 

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.

Spring term

The persistent and severe absence rates increased between autumn and spring 2024/25

The persistent absence rate increased from 17.79% in autumn 2024/25 to 20.06% in spring. The severe absence rate increased from 2.04% in autumn 2024/25 to 2.24% in spring. 

Persistent absence increased across all school types.

Severe absence decreased in primary but increased across the other school types. 

The changes from autumn term to spring term are consistent with the termly absence pattern in the previous academic year.

Pupil characteristics

The following section looks at absence rates in the combined autumn and spring terms by pupil characteristics, including free school meal eligibility, SEN provision, year group, sex, and ethnicity. Data for unclassified or unknown characteristics are not presented in the tables due to low numbers, which lead to volatile rates.

Absence rates continued to be higher for pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) and pupils with special educational needs (SEN)

Free school meals (FSM) eligibility

Overall and persistent absence rates decreased for both pupils eligible and not eligible for FSM across autumn and spring terms 2024/25, compared to the previous autumn and spring terms. The rate of overall absence for pupils eligible for FSM continued to be almost twice that of pupils not eligible.

Pupils eligible for FSM are over two and a half times as likely to be persistently absent as pupils not eligible for FSM. Persistent absence decreased for both pupils eligible and not eligible for FSM since 2023/24

Severe absence increased slightly for both pupils eligible and not eligible for FSM. Pupils eligible for FSM remain over three and half times more likely to be severe absentees than those not eligible for FSM.

Special educational needs (SEN)

Compared to the combined autumn and spring terms in 2023/24, overall absence for pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan increased across autumn and spring 2024/25. Overall absence rates for pupil with SEN support and pupils with no identified SEN decreased. 

The gap has continued to increase between pupils with SEN (EHC plans and SEN support combined) and those with no identified SEN. Across the combined autumn and spring terms, the overall absence rate for all pupils with SEN was just under twice that of pupils with no identified SEN.

Persistent absence rates decreased across all cohorts, regardless of SEN provision, compared to combined autumn and spring terms 2023/24. However, the gap between pupils with SEN and those with no identified SEN continued to increase. 

Severe absence increased for pupils with EHC plans and SEN support but decreased for pupils with no identified SEN, widening the gap with SEN pupils four and a half  times more likely to be a severe absentee than pupils with no identified SEN.

Year group

Generally, absence rates tend to increase as age increases. The highest overall absence and severe absence rates were in year 11 at 9.82% and 4.83%, respectively. The highest persistent absence rate was in year 10 at 25.06%. These patterns are consistent with combined autumn and spring terms 2023/24.

In the primary phase, absence rates were highest in Year 1 and below, where overall absence does not show a decrease compared to the previous combined autumn and spring terms - unlike all other year groups. 

The overall absence rate increases most between year 7 and year 8

As above, generally, absence rates increase as year group increases. In this section we look at the change of absence rates between year groups over different academic terms. For example, comparing the absence rate of year 7s in 2023/24 to the absence rate of year 8s in 2024/25.

Across autumn and spring terms 2023/24, the overall absence rate in year 7 was 6.40%. The difference between this absence rate, and the absence rate of those in year 8 in 2024/25 was 1.30 percentage points (pp) (7.70%). This is smaller than the 1.55 pp increase between year 7s in 2022/23 and year 8s in 2023/24.

For most secondary year groups, the size of the increase in absence rates has shrunk for transitions between 2023/24 and 2024/25 compared to transitions between 2022/23 and 2023/24:

Transition	Change from 2022/23 to 2023/24	Change from 2023/24 to 2024/25
Year 6 to year 7	+0.40 pp	+0.25 pp
Year 7 to year 8	+1.55 pp	+1.30 pp
Year 8 to year 9	+0.91 pp	+0.55 pp
Year 9 to year 10	+0.51 pp	+0.21 pp
Year 10 to year 11	-0.01 pp	-0.01 pp

During transitions between primary year groups, the absence rate drops. The largest decreases are seen between year 2 to year 3. However, the size of the decreases in absence rate during these transitions has shrunk when comparing the transitions between 2023/24 to 2024/25 and the transitions between 2022/23 to 2023/24:

Transition	Change from 2022/23 to 2023/24	Change from 2023/24 to 2024/25
Year 2 to year 3	-0.86 pp	-0.40 pp
Year 3 to year 4	-0.44 pp	-0.23 pp
Year 4 to year 5	-0.29 pp	-0.19 pp
Year 5 to year 6	-0.16 pp	-0.11 pp

Ethnicity

Across autumn and spring terms 2024/25, Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma pupils had the highest overall absence rates at 20.32% and 16.58%, respectively, while Chinese and Black African pupils had the lowest at 2.87% and 3.70%, respectively. Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma pupils also had the highest persistent and severe absence rates, continuing trends seen in previous years.

Sex

Males continued to have slightly lower overall, persistent, and severe absence rates than females.

Ethnicity by FSM eligibility

Further information on absence rates by ethnicity and FSM eligibility is available in the data catalogue, or you can create your own tables using the table tool. 

Geographical variations

Overall absence rates continued to be lowest in London

In combined autumn and spring terms 2024/25, overall absence rates decreased across all regions except London, which, despite maintaining the lowest rate overall, saw a slight increase to 6.14% from 6.13%.

Persistent absence rates decreased across all regions compared to the autumn and spring terms 2023/24. 

Severe absence rates increased across all regions. 

London had the lowest severe absence rate at 1.58%. In 2023/24, London also had the lowest persistent absence rate, however, in the most recent year, the lowest rate was in the East of England at 16.93% and London came second lowest at 16.97%.

The North East had the highest overall absence rate (6.97%), and Yorkshire and The Humber had the highest rates of persistent absence (18.62%) and severe absence (2.66%).

Absence in state-funded alternative provision

State-funded alternative provision includes pupil referral units, alternative provision academies and alternative provision free schools.

Absence in state-funded alternative provision increased from the previous autumn and spring terms

Overall absence in state-funded alternative provision was 42.04% across autumn and spring terms 2024/25. This is an increase from 41.59% across autumn and spring terms 2023/24. This was driven by an increase in authorised absence while unauthorised absence decreased.

Further absence and attendance data sources

Further data from this release is available in the data catalogue, or you use the table tool to view featured tables or create your own tables using the including:

• absence by pupil characteristics  including SEN primary need
• pupil enrolments with one or more absences
• school level absence
• absence for 4 year olds

Official statistics produced from daily data submitted automatically by schools to the DfE are available in the Pupil attendance in schools publication. Due to the timeliness of the data 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 accredited official statistics releases.

The Pupil absence distributions in schools in England dashboard (opens in new tab) displays attendance figures by severity of absence and year group. It can be filtered by pupil characteristics including SEN, sex and FSM eligibility, at national, regional and local authority level. Data is presented for state-funded primary, secondary and special schools.

Help and support

Methodology

Find out how and why we collect, process and publish these statistics.

• Pupil absence statistics: methodology

Accredited official statistics

These accredited official statistics have been independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (opens in new tab) (OSR). They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in new tab). Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (opens in new tab).

Accreditation signifies their compliance with the authority's Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in new tab) which broadly means these statistics are:

• managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
• meet identified user needs
• produced according to sound methods
• well explained and readily accessible

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in new tab) that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website (opens in new tab).

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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