Attendance rates at England’s schools fell slightly this academic year, new data shows, with this summer’s heatwaves and higher levels of illness playing a part. Data published today gives a first look at official attendance and absence figures for the full 2025-26 academic year. It shows the overall absence rate was 6.93 per cent across all state schools – a small increase of 0.06 percentage points compared to 2024-25. Persistent absence – pupils who miss 10 per cent or more of their possible sessions – was at 19.05 per cent, also marking a slight rise of 0.35 percentage points on last year. Absence peaked in summer A closer look shows absence peaked during the summer term, and skyrocketed during the late June heatwave. Overall absence rates began around 6.2 per cent at the start of the summer term, and remained there until late June, bar an increase just before half-term. During the week beginning 22 June – which the DfE notes “coincided with an exceptional heatwave” – absence rates soared to around 11.8 per cent. This was the highest rate for the entire 2025-26 academic year. Data collected by tech firm Arbor previously suggested attendance rates nationally fell to 82 per cent on the Wednesday of that week (June 24th), as temperatures soared to record highs of 36C. The DfE’s data suggests attendance across the entire week was at 88.2 per cent. Overall absence was 7.42 per cent in summer term, up 0.17 percentage points on the previous summer. Meanwhile absence was 6.62 per cent in autumn term (up 0.09 percentage points on the previous year), and 6.83 per cent in spring (up 0.13 percentage points). Lower attendance among children from low-income households In 2025-26, absence was almost twice as high among pupils eligible for free school meals (11.6 per cent), than those not eligible (5.6 per cent). The same was true of persistent absence, which was 36 per cent for pupils eligible for free school meals, compared to 16.5 per cent for those not eligible. Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) were also far more likely to be absent than those without. Across 2025-26 academic year, children with an EHCP had absence rates around 13.6 per cent, compared to around 10 per cent of pupils with SEN support, and 5.8 per cent among pupils with no identified special educational needs. Illness drives rise in absence The DfE said most of the increases in absence across the 2025-26 academic year were “driven by illness”. Illness absence rose from around 1.9 per cent at the start of the academic year, to a peak of around 4.7 per cent at the beginning of December. Further new data released today showed absence due to illness was higher in autumn term 2025-26, than the previous autumn (3.37 per cent, compared to 3.31 per cent). Illness absence also rose to 4.5 per cent in the week beginning 22 June, which the DfE said could be down to the heatwave. Schools must be kept cool in heatwaves – union boss Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said today’s data, “while broadly maintaining the progress made last year, were clearly impacted by pupil absence during the June heatwave and higher levels of illness”. He said the impact of heatwaves underlines “the importance of the government doing far more to ensure school buildings remain comfortable in the kind of extreme temperatures which are becoming increasingly common”. Paul Whiteman Whiteman said government initiatives such as free breakfast clubs, a register of children not in school, and attendance mentors in some areas could make a difference to attendance “with time”. But he said the data shows “just how hard it is to drive absence rates back down to pre-pandemic levels”. “The issue often has roots beyond the classroom, from illness and mental health challenges to poverty and unmet special educational needs – highlighting the need for the government to ensure its much-needed SEND reforms are workable,” he said. He said schools “need practical resources and support” and investment in mental health support, social care, and community services. Tackling illness key to attendance, says minister Meanwhile new education minister Paul Waugh said the data showed “progress has slowed” on attendance. Writing for The i, he said this year brought “an unusually early winter flu season”, as well as summer’s extreme heat. Paul Waugh He said government “need[s] to tackle” illness, as a key driver of absence. He said he has tasked DfE officials with looking at “how they can supercharge how schools and education support the health system on the childhood flu vaccination programme ahead of this winter”. Schools Week understands this means working together with health experts, rather than any formal new policy. Waugh said the DfE will also “roll out the very latest data tools to give schools insights down to the level of individual pupils, identifying concerns earlier.” Schools will also be given their own “clear improvement target” for attendance. The government previously launched similar targets on an indicative basis, but the DfE said these will be formalised from September. Make Fridays engaging, says Waugh Waugh also pointed out that illness absence increased by almost 25 per cent on Fridays, according to the data. “It’s possible that where pupils are less engaged with school overall, Friday is becoming a particular weak spot for attendance,” he wrote in The i. He said the DfE was “encouraging schools to share innovative strategies like putting on interesting clubs and enrichment on Fridays, so every child stays engaged right through the end of the week.” Schools Week has previously reported on some of these strategies, such as the ‘FOMO Fridays’ initiative run by Two Counties Trust in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Improvement on two years ago The DfE pointed out that while absence and persistent absence have increased slightly on last year, levels remain below where they were in 2023-24. Absence rates were 0.27 percentage points lower this year than in 2023-24, when they were 7.2 per cent. Across the academic year, persistent absence was 1.65 percentage points lower than 2023-24, when it was 20.7 per cent.