Attendance: national, LA and school data

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.

Last reviewed on 22 March 2024See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 7329
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 schools2018/192020/212021/22 2022/23 all terms2022/23 Autumn2022/23 Spring2022/23 Summer
Overall absence 4.03.66.35.96.35.55.8
Unauthorised absence1.10.91.51.61.41.42.1
Secondary schools2018/192020/21 2021/222022/23 all terms2022/23 Autumn2022/23 Spring2022/23 Summer
Overall absence5.55.59.09.08.88.59.8
Unauthorised absence1.81.62.83.42.83.34.2
Special schools2018/192020/212021/22 2022/23 all terms2022/23 Autumn2022/23 Spring2022/23 Summer
Overall absence10.115.213.213.013.413.012.6
Unauthorised absence2.32.1

2.9

3.1

2.83.13.5

Some of this data is affected by COVID-19 – read more: The absence rates do include absence due to confirmed cases of COVID-19 The rates do not include absence due to coronavirus-related reasons (see 'not attending in circumstances related to COVID-19' below) The DfE didn't release any data in 2019/20 due to the pandemic Not attending in circumstances related to COVID-19: 2021/22: this was for pupils who were absent with symptoms of COVID-19, awaiting the results of a test. From April 2022, schools were no longer advised to record these pupils using Code X. Instead, schools were advised to use Code I (illness) to record those who were absent with