Attendance: national, LA and school data

Last reviewed on 25 March 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 7329

Compare your school's attendance data to others locally and nationally, using our summary of the data and templates. Learn how the data is collected and how to make your own data tables using the DfE website.

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Contents

  1. National data
  2. Create your own data tables from the DfE website
  3. Find your school's data
  4. Use our templates to compare your absence data with LA and national rates
  5. How and when data is collected

National data

The figures express the amount of missed half-day sessions as a percentage of all possible half-day sessions. 

Primary schools 2017/18 2018/19 2020/21 All terms 2020/21 Autumn 2020/21 Spring 2020/21 Summer
Overall absence  4.2 4.0 3.6 3.7 2.7 4.4
Unauthorised absence 1.1 1.1 0.9 1 0.4 1.3
Secondary schools 2017/18 2018/19 2020/21 All terms 2020/21 Autumn 2020/21 Spring 2020/21 Summer
Overall absence 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.7 3.2 7.5
Unauthorised absence 1.6 1.8 1.6 1.8 0.7 2.4
Special schools 2017/18 2018/19 2020/21 All terms 2020/21 Autumn 2020/21 Spring 2020/21 Summer
Overall absence 10.2 10.1 15.7 10.6 25.5 11
Unauthorised absence 2.2 2.3 2.1 2.3 1.3 2.6
All schools 2017/18 2018/19 2020/21 All terms 2020/21 Autumn 2020/21 Spring 2020/21 Summer
Overall absence 4.8 4.7 4.6 4.7 3.3 5.8
Unauthorised absence 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.4 0.5 1.8

The absence rates in the tables above do not include absence due to coronavirus-related reasons (self-isolation, shielding and post-travel quarantine) as these were captured separately (see the 'reasons for absence' section below). However, the rates do include absence due to confirmed cases of COVID-19, as these were marked as 'absent due to illness' The rate of overall absence in special schools was substantially higher in the spring term compared to other terms. This is because during the spring-term national lockdown, vulnerable pupils were prioritised to continue attending school, but where a parent wanted their child to be absent, schools were advised

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