Persistent absence rises to 19.05% in England as Free School Meal eligibility rate reaches 33.84%

Department for Education  figures put persistent absence at 36.94% among students with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, while overall absence remained broadly stable at 6.93%

Persistent absence reached 19.05% across England’s state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in 2025/26.

The share of students in England missing at least 10% of possible school sessions increased in 2025/26, even as the overall absence rate changed little, according to full-year Department for Education data. 

Persistent absence rose by 0.35 percentage points from 2024/25 to 19.05%. Overall absence edged up by 0.06 percentage points to 6.93%, leaving the attendance rate at 93.07%.

Behind that near-flat national attendance figure, absence remained markedly higher among students eligible for free school meals, those with special educational needs and students attending state-funded special schools.

The statistics cover 5 to 15-year-old students in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools between September 8, 2025 and July 24, 2026.

Compared with 2023/24, overall absence was 0.28 percentage points lower and persistent absence was down by 1.61 percentage points. The DfE estimates that the change in overall absence was equivalent to approximately 4.38 million more days in school, assuming pupil numbers were equal across the two years. The latest year-on-year figures, however, moved in the opposite direction.

Persistent absence reaches 36.94% for students with Education, Health and Care plans

For students eligible for free school meals (a government measure of disadvantage based on household income), the overall absence rate was 10.87%, compared with 5.26% among students who were not eligible.

The divide was larger for persistent absence. The rate reached 33.84% among students eligible for free school meals, against 12.80% for those not eligible.

Students with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan — a legal document for children and young people aged up to 25 who need additional support due to special educational needs or disabilities — recorded the highest absence rate by SEN status at 13.64%. This compared with 10.07% for students receiving SEN support and 5.80% for those with no identified SEN.

Persistent absence followed the same pattern, reaching 36.94% among students with an EHC plan and 29.34% for those receiving SEN support. The rate among students with no identified SEN was 16.11%.

School type produced another substantial variation. Persistent absence stood at 36.25% in state-funded special schools, 24.21% in state-funded secondary schools and 13.90% in state-funded primary schools.

Overall absence rates were 13.19% in special schools, 8.57% in secondary schools and 5.31% in primary schools.

Heatwave week records highest absence of the year

The summer term brought a further increase. Overall absence reached 7.42%, up by 0.17 percentage points from the previous summer term, while persistent absence rose by 0.59 percentage points to 22.51%.

The DfE estimates that the summer-term absence rate was equivalent to approximately 1.2 million fewer days in school than during the previous summer term.

Absence peaked at around 11.9% during the week beginning June 22, the highest level of the academic year. The week coincided with an exceptional heatwave affecting parts of England.

Illness absence reached 4.5% that week. The department says the heatwave may have contributed to the increase and advises that the figures should be interpreted in the context of the weather conditions.

Unauthorized absence was generally higher during the summer term than in autumn or spring. It peaked at 4.4% during the heatwave week and reached the same level again in the final week of the academic year.

The DfE cautions that the national figures are estimates. For the latest full day of data, July 17, information was provided by 96% of schools participating in the School Census. Schools also continue to update registers, meaning recorded absence rates can decrease over time as attendance codes change.

DfE considers fewer attendance updates from March 2027

Alongside the full-year figures, the department is consulting on plans to reduce the frequency of its pupil attendance publications.

Under the proposal, statistics would continue to appear fortnightly during the first half of each academic year before moving to monthly publication after the spring half-term. The change would begin during 2026/27, with the first reduction in frequency likely to take effect in March 2027.

The DfE says the publication remains widely used but has experienced declining usage year-on-year, particularly during the second half of the academic year. Feedback is open until August 28, with the outcome due in September 2026. The next attendance release is also scheduled for September.