Children missing more than half of classes increases as overall absence falls

The percentage of schoolchildren missing more than half of their classes has increased in the latest Department for Education (DfE) data, despite progress in overall school attendance.

DfE figures show 2.26% of pupils were severely absent, which means they missed more than half of their classes, from school across the autumn and spring terms of 2024/25, up from 2.14% in 2023/24, and significantly above 0.81% pre-pandemic in 2018/19.

However, the figures released on Thursday show overall pupil absence from school is decreasing – it was 6.63% in the 2024/25 autumn and spring terms, the lowest rate seen since 2020/21.

Some progress has also been made in the proportion of children who are persistently absent (missing 10% or more of their classes), which had soared to 22.32% post-pandemic in 2021/22.

It has been decreasing steadily since, and has fallen to 17.63% in the latest data.

This still remains significantly above the persistent absence rate reported pre-pandemic.

While severe absence has risen, the rate of increase has been slowing over the past two years, and a DfE spokesperson said the Government is “slowing the stubborn rise in severe absence”.

The increase in severe absence is most apparent for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP), which are legal documents setting out support required for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).

The percentage of pupils with EHCPs missing more than half of their classes increased from 6.55% in 2023/24 to 7.3% this year.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said it is worrying that severe absence has increased again, particularly for children with the most complex Send needs.

Schools’ efforts to improve attendance are challenging when schools are facing “intense financial pressures, staffing shortages, and difficulty in accessing specialist support, and this may be one of the reasons why we are seeing this degree of severe absence,” he said.

There was a small decrease of 0.05 percentage points in the severe absence rate for pupils with no identified Send needs.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said the new figures on overall and persistent absence are a step in the right direction, but significant barriers remain for some children.

“Schools work hard to ensure children are in the classroom, but they cannot solve the root causes of absence alone. The reasons for severe and persistent absence often lay outside the school gates, including mental health challenges and societal issues like poverty,” he said.

Persistent absence rates have fallen compared with last year for pupils who are eligible for free school meals, but remain high at 31.03%.

Susannah Hardyman, chief executive of Impetus, said while it is encouraging absence rates are moving in the right direction “the children in school today cannot afford to wait – by the time we return to pre-pandemic levels, they will have already endured nearly a decade of damage since the start of the pandemic.”

Schools have been facing an attendance crisis since the Covid-19 pandemic, with the number of children missing school hitting a peak across the autumn and spring terms of 2021/22.

Giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry earlier this month, former children’s commissioner Baroness Anne Longfield said there has been an increase in “virtually every indicator of vulnerability” from pre-Covid to today.

In a statement provided to the inquiry, Baroness Longfield said she believes if more had been done to reopen schools and secure the attendance of vulnerable children at school during Covid, “we would not be seeing such high absence rates so many years after the pandemic ended”.

As part of the current Government’s attempts to tackle absence rates, it has introduced free breakfast clubs in primary schools, and announced 600,000 pupils across 800 schools will have access to advice from attendance and behaviour hub schools that have successfully taken action on these.

Initiatives like these may help, added Mr Whiteman, but said greater investment is needed in mental health services and social care to further tackle absences, as well as action on child poverty and the Send system.

Publication of the Schools White Paper, which will set out the Government’s plans for reform of the Send system and was expected this autumn, has been delayed until early in the new year.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said in a letter the delay is to allow a further period of testing reform proposals with families and teachers.

A DfE spokesperson said: “This Government is taking the action needed to get our kids back in school, with the biggest improvement in attendance in a decade last academic year.

“Absence is down, persistent absence has plummeted and we are slowing the stubborn rise in severe absence.

“Through free breakfast clubs in every primary school, an attendance mentoring programme, and ensuring earlier intervention for children with special needs we are creating a school system that serves not just some children, but supports every child to achieve and thrive.”