Persistently absent pupils in England's schools
Across England's state schools, persistently absent pupils averaged 15.8% in 2024/25 (20,422 schools). Since 2016 it has risen by 5.9 points, which is the wrong direction. Official definition: missed 10% or more of sessions.
The trend
Trend
Persistently absent pupils
2016 to 2025
All state schoolsPrimarySecondary
Since 2016: +5.9%
Year by year
| Year | All | Primary | Secondary | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 15.8% | 12.8% | 23.6% | 20,422 |
| 2023/24 | 17.5% | 14.3% | 25.7% | 19,794 |
| 2022/23 | 18.7% | 15.7% | 26.5% | 19,249 |
| 2021/22 | 20.4% | 17.5% | 27.7% | 18,844 |
| 2020/21 | 11.6% | 8.4% | 14.8% | 18,444 |
| 2018/19 | 10.0% | 8.0% | 13.6% | 17,319 |
| 2017/18 | 10.6% | 8.6% | 13.7% | 15,801 |
| 2016/17 | 10.2% | 8.2% | 13.2% | 14,337 |
| 2015/16 | 9.9% | 8.1% | 12.6% | 13,454 |
By region
Latest year, best (lowest) first. The tick is the England figure.
Every council
151 councils ranked, best (lowest) first. Councils with very few schools swing more from year to year.
| # | Council | Persistently absent pupils | Schools | vs England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westmorland and Furness | 11.1% | 144 | -4.8 pts |
| 2 | Bracknell Forest | 11.1% | 35 | -4.8 pts |
| 3 | Cumberland | 11.7% | 165 | -4.1 pts |
| 4 | Rutland | 11.9% | 20 | -4.0 pts |
| 5 | Richmond upon Thames | 12.1% | 59 | -3.8 pts |
| 6 | Leicestershire | 12.1% | 277 | -3.7 pts |
| 7 | Wiltshire | 12.2% | 222 | -3.6 pts |
| 8 | Wokingham | 12.5% | 57 | -3.3 pts |
| 9 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 12.6% | 142 | -3.3 pts |
| 10 | North Yorkshire | 12.6% | 331 | -3.2 pts |
| 11 | Derbyshire | 12.8% | 390 | -3.0 pts |
| 12 | Herefordshire, County of | 12.9% | 95 | -2.9 pts |
| 13 | Warrington | 12.9% | 76 | -2.9 pts |
| 14 | Trafford | 13.0% | 85 | -2.8 pts |
| 15 | Staffordshire | 13.2% | 379 | -2.6 pts |
| 16 | Cheshire East | 13.3% | 145 | -2.5 pts |
| 17 | Calderdale | 13.4% | 97 | -2.4 pts |
| 18 | Gateshead | 13.5% | 81 | -2.3 pts |
| 19 | Hampshire | 13.6% | 508 | -2.2 pts |
| 20 | Devon | 13.8% | 355 | -2.0 pts |
| 21 | West Northamptonshire | 14.0% | 175 | -1.8 pts |
| 22 | North Lincolnshire | 14.1% | 75 | -1.7 pts |
| 23 | West Berkshire | 14.1% | 73 | -1.7 pts |
| 24 | Nottinghamshire | 14.1% | 318 | -1.7 pts |
| 25 | Cornwall | 14.1% | 269 | -1.7 pts |
| 26 | Cambridgeshire | 14.1% | 258 | -1.7 pts |
| 27 | North Somerset | 14.1% | 77 | -1.7 pts |
| 28 | Northumberland | 14.2% | 155 | -1.7 pts |
| 29 | Central Bedfordshire | 14.2% | 121 | -1.6 pts |
| 30 | Oxfordshire | 14.3% | 295 | -1.6 pts |
| 31 | Surrey | 14.3% | 362 | -1.6 pts |
| 32 | Bath and North East Somerset | 14.3% | 78 | -1.5 pts |
| 33 | Bromley | 14.4% | 98 | -1.4 pts |
| 34 | Barnsley | 14.5% | 85 | -1.3 pts |
| 35 | Lancashire | 14.6% | 576 | -1.3 pts |
| 36 | Shropshire | 14.6% | 130 | -1.2 pts |
| 37 | Buckinghamshire | 14.7% | 224 | -1.2 pts |
| 38 | Telford and Wrekin | 14.7% | 63 | -1.1 pts |
| 39 | York | 14.7% | 60 | -1.1 pts |
| 40 | North Tyneside | 14.8% | 75 | -1.1 pts |
| 41 | Gloucestershire | 14.8% | 292 | -1.0 pts |
| 42 | Merton | 14.9% | 53 | -1.0 pts |
| 43 | Barnet | 14.9% | 124 | -0.9 pts |
| 44 | North Northamptonshire | 14.9% | 136 | -0.9 pts |
| 45 | West Sussex | 15.0% | 268 | -0.8 pts |
| 46 | Wigan | 15.0% | 122 | -0.8 pts |
| 47 | Tameside | 15.0% | 82 | -0.8 pts |
| 48 | Havering | 15.1% | 80 | -0.7 pts |
| 49 | Windsor and Maidenhead | 15.2% | 62 | -0.7 pts |
| 50 | Hertfordshire | 15.2% | 496 | -0.7 pts |
| 51 | Worcestershire | 15.2% | 228 | -0.6 pts |
| 52 | Dorset | 15.3% | 152 | -0.6 pts |
| 53 | St. Helens | 15.3% | 65 | -0.5 pts |
| 54 | Norfolk | 15.3% | 402 | -0.5 pts |
| 55 | Swindon | 15.3% | 86 | -0.5 pts |
| 56 | Sutton | 15.4% | 55 | -0.5 pts |
| 57 | Suffolk | 15.4% | 295 | -0.4 pts |
| 58 | Somerset | 15.4% | 250 | -0.4 pts |
| 59 | Bedford | 15.5% | 70 | -0.3 pts |
| 60 | Cheshire West and Chester | 15.5% | 148 | -0.3 pts |
| 61 | Kirklees | 15.5% | 162 | -0.3 pts |
| 62 | Kingston upon Thames | 15.5% | 48 | -0.3 pts |
| 63 | Harrow | 15.6% | 57 | -0.3 pts |
| 64 | Lincolnshire | 15.6% | 343 | -0.2 pts |
| 65 | Warwickshire | 15.6% | 229 | -0.2 pts |
| 66 | Stockton-on-Tees | 15.6% | 71 | -0.2 pts |
| 67 | Bexley | 15.7% | 82 | -0.1 pts |
| 68 | Stockport | 15.8% | 97 | -0.1 pts |
| 69 | Milton Keynes | 15.8% | 106 | 0.0 pts |
| 70 | Leeds | 15.8% | 266 | 0.0 pts |
| 71 | County Durham | 15.8% | 239 | +0.0 pts |
| 72 | Essex | 15.9% | 535 | +0.1 pts |
| 73 | Brent | 16.1% | 79 | +0.3 pts |
| 74 | Wakefield | 16.1% | 133 | +0.3 pts |
| 75 | Thurrock | 16.1% | 55 | +0.3 pts |
| 76 | Lewisham | 16.1% | 83 | +0.3 pts |
| 77 | Doncaster | 16.1% | 125 | +0.3 pts |
| 78 | Bolton | 16.2% | 119 | +0.4 pts |
| 79 | South Gloucestershire | 16.2% | 108 | +0.4 pts |
| 80 | North East Lincolnshire | 16.3% | 59 | +0.4 pts |
| 81 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 16.3% | 98 | +0.5 pts |
| 82 | Greenwich | 16.4% | 81 | +0.5 pts |
| 83 | Luton | 16.6% | 61 | +0.7 pts |
| 84 | South Tyneside | 16.6% | 57 | +0.8 pts |
| 85 | Peterborough | 16.9% | 79 | +1.1 pts |
| 86 | Redcar and Cleveland | 17.1% | 58 | +1.3 pts |
| 87 | Wolverhampton | 17.1% | 91 | +1.3 pts |
| 88 | Rotherham | 17.2% | 117 | +1.3 pts |
| 89 | Hartlepool | 17.2% | 36 | +1.4 pts |
| 90 | Hackney | 17.3% | 69 | +1.4 pts |
| 91 | Solihull | 17.3% | 77 | +1.4 pts |
| 92 | Stoke-on-Trent | 17.4% | 89 | +1.5 pts |
| 93 | Darlington | 17.5% | 39 | +1.6 pts |
| 94 | Southend-on-Sea | 17.5% | 48 | +1.7 pts |
| 95 | Bury | 17.5% | 71 | +1.7 pts |
| 96 | Sunderland | 17.6% | 105 | +1.8 pts |
| 97 | Kingston upon Hull, City of | 17.7% | 87 | +1.9 pts |
| 98 | Slough | 17.7% | 44 | +1.9 pts |
| 99 | Hounslow | 17.8% | 75 | +1.9 pts |
| 100 | Sandwell | 17.8% | 119 | +2.0 pts |
| 101 | Plymouth | 17.8% | 92 | +2.0 pts |
| 102 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 17.8% | 95 | +2.0 pts |
| 103 | Oldham | 17.9% | 92 | +2.0 pts |
| 104 | Kent | 17.9% | 574 | +2.0 pts |
| 105 | Dudley | 17.9% | 98 | +2.0 pts |
| 106 | Barking and Dagenham | 18.0% | 59 | +2.1 pts |
| 107 | Derby | 18.0% | 96 | +2.1 pts |
| 108 | Redbridge | 18.0% | 76 | +2.2 pts |
| 109 | Blackburn with Darwen | 18.0% | 70 | +2.2 pts |
| 110 | Waltham Forest | 18.0% | 71 | +2.2 pts |
| 111 | Portsmouth | 18.1% | 61 | +2.2 pts |
| 112 | Wandsworth | 18.1% | 72 | +2.3 pts |
| 113 | Sefton | 18.1% | 96 | +2.3 pts |
| 114 | Torbay | 18.2% | 42 | +2.4 pts |
| 115 | Rochdale | 18.2% | 74 | +2.4 pts |
| 116 | Medway | 18.2% | 94 | +2.4 pts |
| 117 | Southwark | 18.2% | 92 | +2.4 pts |
| 118 | Coventry | 18.3% | 113 | +2.5 pts |
| 119 | Ealing | 18.4% | 80 | +2.5 pts |
| 120 | East Sussex | 18.4% | 175 | +2.6 pts |
| 121 | Haringey | 18.5% | 73 | +2.7 pts |
| 122 | Salford | 18.6% | 91 | +2.7 pts |
| 123 | Manchester | 18.6% | 169 | +2.8 pts |
| 124 | Leicester | 18.6% | 106 | +2.8 pts |
| 125 | Nottingham | 18.7% | 99 | +2.9 pts |
| 126 | Sheffield | 18.7% | 160 | +2.9 pts |
| 127 | Brighton and Hove | 18.8% | 57 | +2.9 pts |
| 128 | Isle of Wight | 18.8% | 45 | +3.0 pts |
| 129 | Enfield | 18.8% | 94 | +3.0 pts |
| 130 | Reading | 18.9% | 55 | +3.1 pts |
| 131 | Middlesbrough | 19.1% | 53 | +3.2 pts |
| 132 | Croydon | 19.1% | 118 | +3.3 pts |
| 133 | Wirral | 19.2% | 110 | +3.3 pts |
| 134 | Bradford | 19.2% | 198 | +3.3 pts |
| 135 | Kensington and Chelsea | 19.3% | 33 | +3.5 pts |
| 136 | Lambeth | 19.4% | 80 | +3.6 pts |
| 137 | Walsall | 19.5% | 90 | +3.7 pts |
| 138 | Halton | 19.6% | 61 | +3.8 pts |
| 139 | Hillingdon | 19.7% | 91 | +3.9 pts |
| 140 | Hammersmith and Fulham | 19.9% | 51 | +4.1 pts |
| 141 | Liverpool | 19.9% | 152 | +4.1 pts |
| 142 | Newham | 20.0% | 89 | +4.2 pts |
| 143 | Birmingham | 20.0% | 387 | +4.2 pts |
| 144 | Blackpool | 20.4% | 42 | +4.5 pts |
| 145 | Tower Hamlets | 20.4% | 87 | +4.6 pts |
| 146 | Southampton | 20.5% | 72 | +4.7 pts |
| 147 | Camden | 21.1% | 51 | +5.3 pts |
| 148 | Bristol, City of | 21.6% | 133 | +5.7 pts |
| 149 | Westminster | 22.1% | 45 | +6.2 pts |
| 150 | Knowsley | 22.5% | 59 | +6.7 pts |
| 151 | Islington | 22.7% | 54 | +6.9 pts |
How to read this
Each figure is a simple average across open state schools that have the measure published. A school counts once whatever its size, so the figures can differ a little from the Department for Education's national figures, which count pupils. Special schools and alternative provision are left out of results measures. Independent schools are left out throughout. Sources and update calendar.