Latest attendance figures

The Department for Education (DfE) has released attendance figures for the 2024/25 academic year up to 10 January 2025.

The data shows that the attendance rate across the 2024/25 academic year to date was 93.4%. The absence rate was, therefore, 6.6% across all schools. The rate of persistent absence (pupils who miss 10% or more of their possible sessions) was 18.7%, which is a 1.6 percentage point decrease compared to the equivalent point last academic year.

By school type, the absence rates across the 2024/25 academic year to date were:

• 5.2% in state-funded primary schools (3.8% authorised and 1.4% unauthorised)
• 8.0% in state-funded secondary schools (5.0% authorised and 2.9% unauthorised)
• 12.7% in state-funded special schools (9.6% authorised and 3.2% unauthorised)

How does your school or trust compare to the national figures? Would you like more information about attendance? Have a look at DAG’s Busy Governance Guide to Attendance.