Week 37 2022

Pupil attendance in schools

Data guidance

Published

Description

This data file provides figures related to the attendance of 5 to 15 year old (i.e. compulsory school age) pupils in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in England.

These figures are derived from regular data automatically submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) by participating schools. The data is submitted on a daily basis and includes the attendance codes (opens in a new tab) for each pupil on their registers during the morning and afternoon sessions.

The figures are published as experimental official statistics to give an indicative figure for the absence rate during the 2022/23 academic year. A national level figure was published on 8 September 2022 and from 29 September 2022 the pupil attendance dashboard (opens in a new tab) will be updated fortnightly, providing aggregate metrics on overall absence and reasons for absence estimated at national, regional and local authority level only. These are intended to continue the series that was previously sourced from the daily Educational Settings Survey (EdSet). 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 more detailed but less regular National Statistics on pupil absence (which will include school level breakdowns). The termly National Statistics will also be published on this page in May 2023 (Autumn term 2022/23), October 2023 (Autumn and Summer term 2022/23) and March 2024 (full year 2022/23). 

For further information see the ‘Methodology’ section.

Coverage

The figures relate to the attendance of 5 to 15 year old (i.e. compulsory school age) pupils in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in England.

These figures are derived from regular data automatically submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) by participating schools. The data is submitted on a daily basis and includes the attendance codes (opens in a new tab) for each pupil on their registers during the morning and afternoon sessions.

As at 12 September 2022, 67% of schools have opted-in to submitting data, therefore national figures are estimates. Across school types this was:

  • 68.6% of state-funded primary schools
  • 63.1% of state-funded secondary schools
  • 54.7% of state-funded special schools

Users should be aware of the following:

  • Estimates for non-response - In recognition that response rates are not equal across school types and, therefore, not representative of the total school population, the total rates for all schools has been weighted based on the Spring 2022 school census. Weighted total figures are not included at local authority level due to the low number of schools involved.  
  • Reporting lag - Schools update their registers continually and attendance codes change, resulting in absence rates for a particular day to decrease over time. Analysis of data from the Summer 2022 term suggests that this could be a decrease in the absence rate of around 1 percentage point before settling down. Historical figures will be recalculated in each publication.

The figures only consider pupils who were expected to attend on the day. For example, if a pupil was not expected to be in school due to an inset day, they are not included in the analysis.

File formats and conventions

Rounding

In recognition of the uncertainty around inset days, reporting lag and reduced response rate, rates for week commencing 5 September 2022 have been rounded to 0 decimal places. 

All other figures are unrounded.

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.

Pupil attendance during week commencing 5 September only - daily

Filename
ees_week_commencing_05_sept_data.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2022 Week 36
Content

Includes national level attendance and absence rates for week commencing 5 September 2022 for state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in England.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
absence_rateAbsence rate
attendance_dateDate
attendance_rateAttendance rate
response_rateResponse rate
school_typeSchool Type - State-funded primary, secondary and special

Pupil attendance since week commencing 12 September - daily

Filename
ees_daily_data.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2022 Week 37
Content

Daily local authority, regional and national attendance since 12 September 2022, including reasons for absence. Figures are provided for state-funded primary, secondary and special schools. Totals for all schools are also included that include estimates for non-response.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
appointments_percAuthorised appointments absence rate
approved_educational_activitySessions marked as approved educational activity
attendance_dateAttendance Date
attendance_percAttendance rate
auth_excluded_percAuthorised exclusions absence rate
auth_grt_percAuthorised traveller absence rate
auth_holiday_percAuthorised holiday rate
auth_other_percAuthorised other absence rate
auth_religious_percAuthorised religious observance absence rate
auth_study_percAuthorised study leave absence rate
authorised_absenceSessions marked as authorised absence
authorised_absence_percAuthorised absence rate
covid_non_compulsory_percAuthorised not attending due to covid circumstances rate
enrolmentsNumber of enrolments in schools reporting
illness_percAuthorised illness absence rate
late_sessionsSessions marked as late
num_schoolsNumber of schools reporting
overall_absenceSessions marked as absence
overall_absence_percOverall absence rate
overall_attendanceSessions marked at attending (including approved educational activity)
possible_sessionsTotal possible sessions
present_sessionsSessions marked as attending (including late before registers closed)
reason_b_aea_education_off_siteSessions marked as approved education off site
reason_c_authorised_otherSessions marked as authorised other
reason_d_aea_dual_registrationSessions marked as dual registration
reason_e_authorised_excludedSessions marked as authorised excluded
reason_g_unauthorised_holidaySessions marked as unauthorised holiday
reason_h_authorised_holidaySessions marked as authorised holiday
reason_i_authorised_illnessSessions marked as authorised illness
reason_j_aea_interviewSessions marked as approved interview
reason_l_present_late_before_registers_closedSessions marked as late before registers closed
reason_m_authorised_medical_dentalSessions marked as authorised medical or dental appointments
reason_n_no_reason_yetSessions marked as no reason yet
reason_o_other_unauthorisedSessions marked as unauthorised other
reason_p_aea_approved_sporting_activitySessions marked as approved sporting activity
reason_presentSessions marked as attending (excluding late before registers closed)
reason_present_amMorning sessions
reason_present_pmAfternoon sessions
reason_r_authorised_religious_observanceSessions marked as authorised religious observance
reason_s_authorised_study_leaveSessions marked as authorised study leave
reason_t_authorised_grt_absenceSessions marked as authorised traveller absence
reason_u_unauthorised_late_after_registers_closedSessions marked as unauthorised late after registers closed
reason_v_aea_educational_visit_tripSessions marked as approved educational visit or trip
reason_w_aea_work_experienceSessions marked as approved work experience
reason_x_not_attending_covid_non_compulsorySessions marked as not attending due to covid circumstances
school_typeSchool Type
total_enrolmentsTotal number of enrolments from GIAS
total_num_schoolsTotal number of schools from GIAS
unauth_hol_percUnauthorised holiday absence rate
unauth_late_registers_closed_percUnauthorised late absence rate
unauth_not_yet_percUnauthorised no reason yet absence rate
unauth_oth_percUnauthorised other absence rate
unauthorised_absenceSessions marked as unauthorised absence
unauthorised_absence_percUnauthorised absence rate

Pupil attendance since week commencing 12 September - weekly

Filename
ees_weekly_data.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2022 Week 37
Content

Weekly local authority, regional and national attendance since 12 September 2022, including reasons for absence. Figures are provided for state-funded primary, secondary and special schools. Totals for all schools are also included that include estimates for non-response.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
appointments_percAuthorised appointments absence rate
approved_educational_activitySessions marked as approved educational activity
attendance_percAttendance rate
auth_excluded_percAuthorised exclusions absence rate
auth_grt_percAuthorised traveller absence rate
auth_holiday_percAuthorised holiday rate
auth_other_percAuthorised other absence rate
auth_religious_percAuthorised religious observance absence rate
auth_study_percAuthorised study leave absence rate
authorised_absenceSessions marked as authorised absence
authorised_absence_percAuthorised absence rate
covid_non_compulsory_percAuthorised not attending due to covid circumstances rate
enrolmentsNumber of enrolments in schools reporting
illness_percAuthorised illness absence rate
late_sessionsSessions marked as late
num_schoolsNumber of schools reporting
overall_absenceSessions marked as absence
overall_absence_percOverall absence rate
overall_attendanceSessions marked at attending (including approved educational activity)
possible_sessionsTotal possible sessions
present_sessionsSessions marked as attending (including late before registers closed)
reason_b_aea_education_off_siteSessions marked as approved education off site
reason_c_authorised_otherSessions marked as authorised other
reason_d_aea_dual_registrationSessions marked as dual registration
reason_e_authorised_excludedSessions marked as authorised excluded
reason_g_unauthorised_holidaySessions marked as unauthorised holiday
reason_h_authorised_holidaySessions marked as authorised holiday
reason_i_authorised_illnessSessions marked as authorised illness
reason_j_aea_interviewSessions marked as approved interview
reason_l_present_late_before_registers_closedSessions marked as late before registers closed
reason_m_authorised_medical_dentalSessions marked as authorised medical or dental appointments
reason_n_no_reason_yetSessions marked as no reason yet
reason_o_other_unauthorisedSessions marked as unauthorised other
reason_p_aea_approved_sporting_activitySessions marked as approved sporting activity
reason_presentSessions marked as attending (excluding late before registers closed)
reason_present_amMorning sessions
reason_present_pmAfternoon sessions
reason_r_authorised_religious_observanceSessions marked as authorised religious observance
reason_s_authorised_study_leaveSessions marked as authorised study leave
reason_t_authorised_grt_absenceSessions marked as authorised traveller absence
reason_u_unauthorised_late_after_registers_closedSessions marked as unauthorised late after registers closed
reason_v_aea_educational_visit_tripSessions marked as approved educational visit or trip
reason_w_aea_work_experienceSessions marked as approved work experience
reason_x_not_attending_covid_non_compulsorySessions marked as not attending due to covid circumstances
school_typeSchool Type
total_enrolmentsTotal number of enrolments from GIAS
total_num_schoolsTotal number of schools from GIAS
unauth_hol_percUnauthorised holiday absence rate
unauth_late_registers_closed_percUnauthorised late absence rate
unauth_not_yet_percUnauthorised no reason yet absence rate
unauth_oth_percUnauthorised other absence rate
unauthorised_absenceSessions marked as unauthorised absence
unauthorised_absence_percUnauthorised absence rate