In England, 41% of pupils missed at least 10% of classes in the 2024/2025 Autumn term, according to data recently published by the ONS. Average attendance was 94.8% for primary, 91.9% for secondary, and 87.4% for special schools.
Richmond upon Thames had the highest primary (95.7%) and secondary (94.1%) attendance. Newham showed the lowest special school attendance (82.4%) and one of the lowest primary rates. Knowsley had a notably low secondary attendance.
Regional variations were clear: Northern secondary students had more unauthorised absences than those in London or the Midlands. Areas like Knowsley, Liverpool, and Manchester recorded notably elevated absence rates, with persistent absence – missing 10% or more of school – all higher than 30% in these areas.
Persistent absence (missing 10%+) was high in Newham (54% in special schools, 20.1% in primary), while Richmond upon Thames again had the lowest.
Data viewpoints
Dr. Naomi Fisher, clinical psychologist: “A lot of our children are struggling with school. I think there are many reasons why this generation of children could be struggling more. One is Covid, but the other is austerity and that there have been cuts to early services. This generation of children has not had as much, basically as many services as other previous generations. It’s been harder for them to get access to early education, healthcare, all of that kind of thing, and at the same time education has become more focused on exam results, more focused on essentially getting children to perform.”
Professor Lee Elliot Major, Exeter University: “We are facing a crisis of school absenteeism. No matter what we do in education, if children aren’t in the classroom, they’re falling behind. Regional variations in attendance are closely tied to the levels of poverty beyond the school gates. Many children growing up in disadvantaged areas, where local job prospects are also limited, are more likely to miss school regularly, further limiting their future opportunities.”
About this map
The map below shows school attendance figures between 2022-23 by primary, secondary and special education. To explore detailed figures for your area, double-click on the map or click here to view the full-page version.