Absence rates improved in the last academic year, but the overall attendance gap for poorer pupils reached the highest level since current records began.
New data published by the Department for Education shows overall absence rates fell from 7.15 per cent to 6.78 per cent between 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Persistent absence – when pupils miss the equivalent of an afternoon a week – also fell from 19.95 per cent in 2023-24 to 18.14 per cent in 2024-25.
But severe absence – when pupils miss school more frequently than they attend – rose slightly from 2.30 to 2.39 per cent 2024-25.
1. Mixed picture for poorer pupils…
Analysis shows a widened overall attendance gap for poorer pupils, but a narrowed persistent absence and severe absence gap.
There is now a 5.19 percentage point gap between the attendance rates of pupils eligible for free school meals and their non-eligible peers, rising from a 5.16 percentage point gap from 2023-24. This is the widest the gap has been since 2019-20.
Poorer pupils had a persistent absence rate of 32.35 per cent and a severe absence rate of 4.24 per cent in 2024-25.
This is compared to a persistent absence rate of 12.1 per cent and severe absence rate of 1.17 per cent of non-FSM eligible pupils. This slightly narrowed the gaps by 0.16 percentage points and 0.03 percentage points respectively.
2. …but growing gaps for SEND
Gaps widened across the board for pupils with an education, health and care plan and receiving SEN support.
The overall attendance gap for those with EHCPs rose from 6.34 percentage points to 6.92 percentage points, the highest level post-pandemic.
A similar picture has emerged for pupils receiving SEN support, with the attendance gap rising from 2.92 percentage points to 4 percentage points.
3. Biggest jumps in absence between year 7 and 8
Overall absence rates grew the most between year 7 and year 8 – from 1.69 per cent to 2.99 per cent.
London had the lowest overall and severe absence rates, at 6.29 per cent and 1.63 per cent respectively.
Yorkshire and the Humber had the highest severe absence rates at 2.86 per cent, while the north east had the highest overall and persistent absence rates at 7.17 per cent and 19.37 per cent.
The East Midlands had the lowest persistent absence rate at 17.34 per cent.
4. ‘Five years to recover’
Analysis by education charity Impetus suggests at the current rate of progress, it will take another five years for persistent absence to return to pre-pandemic levels.
This rises to nine years for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Susannah Hardyman, CEO of Impetus said: “Low school attendance has become a key driver behind some of England’s most pernicious challenges, from stagnating attainment to high rates of young people not in education, employment, or training.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders union NAHT, said the small increases in absence among pupils with SEND “demonstrate how important it is that the government’s proposals to reform the SEND system prove workable.
“Schools alone are not equipped to address the often deep-rooted causes of absence, which can include everything from illness and mental health challenges to unmet SEND, social issues and the impact of poverty.”
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