Statistics: pupil absence

Statistics on overall authorised and unauthorised pupil absences by school type, including persistent absentees and pupil characteristics.

Statistics from May 2010 onwards are available on GOV.UK. You can find our archived statistics on the National Archives. Note: the search function is not available on archived content so please use the filters on the left of each page.

The ‘Pupil absence in England: spring term’ statistical first release, previously published in August, has been discontinued. User feedback identified this as the least useful of the 4 pupil absence releases each year: it is followed in October by a far more comprehensive release of combined autumn/spring absence data. The 3 remaining releases are unaffected – specifically, the autumn term release, the combined autumn/spring term release and the full year release.

Statistics guidance

1. Pupil absence statistics: guide
   • 21 March 2019
   • Guidance

Autumn-term release

1. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2019
   • 28 May 2020
   • National Statistics
2. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2018
   • 30 May 2019
   • National Statistics
3. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2017
   • 17 May 2018
   • National Statistics
4. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2016
   • 18 May 2017
   • National Statistics
5. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2015
   • 19 May 2016
   • National Statistics
6. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2014
   • 21 May 2015
   • National Statistics
7. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2013
   • 30 May 2014
   • National Statistics
8. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2012
   • 23 May 2013
   • National Statistics
9. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2011
   • 14 June 2012
   • National Statistics
10. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2010
    • 25 May 2011
    • National Statistics
11. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2009
    • 26 May 2010
    • National Statistics

Combined autumn- and spring-term release

1. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2018 and spring 2019
   • 10 October 2019
   • National Statistics
2. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2017 and spring 2018
   • 18 October 2018
   • National Statistics
3. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2016 and spring 2017
   • 19 October 2017
   • National Statistics
4. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2015 and spring 2016
   • 20 October 2016
   • National Statistics
5. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2014 and spring 2015
   • 20 October 2015
   • National Statistics
6. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2013 and spring 2014
   • 20 October 2015
   • National Statistics
7. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2012 and spring 2013
   • 15 October 2013
   • National Statistics
8. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2011 and spring 2012
   • 17 October 2012
   • National Statistics
9. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2010 and spring 2011
   • 19 October 2011
   • National Statistics
10. Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2009 and spring 2010
    • 19 October 2010
    • National Statistics

Full-year release

1. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2018 to 2019
   • 26 March 2020
   • National Statistics
2. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2017 to 2018
   • 21 March 2019
   • National Statistics
3. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2016 to 2017
   • 20 June 2018
   • National Statistics
4. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2015 to 2016
   • 19 April 2017
   • National Statistics
5. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2014 to 2015
   • 24 March 2016
   • National Statistics
6. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2013 to 2014
   • 19 May 2015
   • National Statistics
7. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2012 to 2013
   • 25 March 2014
   • National Statistics
8. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2011 to 2012
   • 23 May 2013
   • National Statistics
9. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2010 to 2011
   • 28 March 2012
   • National Statistics
10. Pupil absence in schools in England: 2009 to 2010
    • 29 March 2011
    • National Statistics

Spring-term release

This release has been discontinued following user feedback.

1. Pupil absence in schools in England: spring term 2012
   • 30 August 2012
   • National Statistics
2. Pupil absence in schools in England: spring term 2011
   • 24 August 2011
   • National Statistics
3. Pupil absence in schools in England: spring term 2010
   • 25 August 2010
   • National Statistics

Published 15 October 2013
Last updated 1 June 2020 + show all updates

1. 1 June 2020

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2019’.

2. 26 March 2020

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: 2018 to 2019’ to the collection.

3. 10 October 2019

   Added Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2018 and spring 2018.

4. 30 May 2019

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2018’.

5. 21 March 2019

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: 2017 to 2018’.

6. 18 October 2018

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2017 and spring term 2018’

7. 17 May 2018

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2017’.

8. 22 March 2018

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: 2016 to 2017’ statistical release.

9. 19 October 2017

   Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2016 and spring 2017’.
10. 18 May 2017

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2016’.

11. 23 March 2017

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: 2015 to 2016’.

12. 20 October 2016

    Added: ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2015 and spring 2016’.

13. 19 May 2016

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2015’.

14. 23 March 2016

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: 2014 to 2015’ to ‘Full-year release’ section.

15. 20 October 2015

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2014 and spring 2015’.

16. 21 May 2015

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2014’.

17. 19 May 2015

    Added ‘Absence statistics guide’.

18. 26 March 2015

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: 2013 to 2014’ to the collection.

19. 15 October 2014

    Added ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: autumn 2013 and spring 2014’ to the collection.

20. 25 March 2014

    Added statistics for ‘Pupil absence in schools in England: 2012 to 2013’.

21. 15 October 2013

    First published.

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