Absence from school
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- 1. Navigate to Main facts and figures section
- 2. Navigate toOverall absence by ethnicity section
- 3. Navigate toPersistent absence by ethnicity section
- 4. Navigate toOverall absence by ethnicity and type of school section
- 5. Navigate toPersistent absence by ethnicity and type of school section
- 6. Navigate toOverall absence by ethnicity and local authority section
- 7. Navigate toPersistent absence by ethnicity and local authority section
- 8. Navigate to Methodology section
- 9. Navigate to Data sources section
- 10. Navigate to Download the data section
1. Main facts and figures
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in 2015/16, 6.93 million pupils were at primary, secondary or special school in England: 69% were White British, 10% were Asian, 6% were Black, 6% were White Other, 5% were Mixed and 0.4% were Chinese
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Traveller of Irish Heritage and Gypsy/Roma pupils had the highest overall and persistent absence rates
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Chinese and Black African pupils had the lowest overall and persistent absence rates
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pupils at special schools were more likely to be absent than pupils at primary or secondary schools
Things you need to know
Data is shown on enrolment level rather than pupil level. Some pupils may be counted more than once within the total enrolment figure (if they moved schools during the academic year, or are registered in more than one school).
It is a school’s responsibility to record absence data correctly in their school census return, and the parent’s responsibility to truthfully report the reason for a child’s absence from school.
Please be aware that some of the statistics quoted here for some ethnic groups are based on very small numbers of pupils (for example, only 111 Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils went to a special school in January 2016) and are highly variable over time.
The data include pupils for whom ethnicity was not obtained, was refused, or could not be determined.
The Department for Education (DfE) has excluded, or ‘suppressed’, very small numbers (for example, values of 1 or 2, a percentage based on 1 or 2 pupils who achieved, or 0, 1 or 2 pupils who did not achieve a particular level).
This is because, where the size of the ethnic group population is small enough that an individual’s identity could be revealed, information is suppressed to preserve confidentiality. This is consistent with DfE’s statistical policy statement on confidentiality (PDF opens in a new window or tab).
Missing out on lessons leaves children vulnerable to falling behind. Children with poor attendance tend to achieve less in both primary and secondary school.
What the data measures
This data measures absence rates from state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in England.
‘Overall absence’ is defined as each pupil’s authorised and unauthorised absences from school, as a percentage of the total number of their possible ‘sessions’ at school. A ‘session’ is a morning or afternoon of the school day.
A pupil is categorised as ‘persistently absent’ if they miss 10% or more of their possible sessions at school.
For overall absence rates at national and local authority level, the data calculates the total absences of all pupils as a percentage of the total possible sessions for all pupils.
For persistent absence rates at national and local authority level, the data calculates the total number of persistently absent pupils as a percentage of all pupils.
The data covers the academic year 2015/16 (August/September 2015 to July 2016).
The ethnic categories used in this data
This data uses categories from the Department for Education’s school census, which is broadly based on the 2001 national census, with 3 exceptions:
- Traveller of Irish Heritage and Gypsy/Roma children have been separated into 2 categories
- Sri Lankan has been added to the Asian/Asian British group but is not reported separately
- Chinese pupils have been assigned a separate category
These changes were made after consultations with local authorities and lobby groups.
The categories in the school census are as follows:
White:
- White British
- White Irish
- Traveller of Irish Heritage
- Gypsy/Roma
- Other White
Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups:
- White and Black Caribbean
- White and Black African
- White and Asian
- Other Mixed background
Asian/Asian British:
- Indian
- Pakistani
- Bangladeshi
- Sri Lankan
- Other Asian background
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British:
- Black African
- Black Caribbean
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Other Black background
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Chinese
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Other ethnic group
Information is provided for both detailed and broad ethnic groups where possible and when the data is available.
However, local authority data is only provided for the 6 broad ethnic groups. Information about the specific ethnic categories is excluded to preserve confidentiality and ensure individuals cannot be identified.
The 6 broad categories are as follows:
- White
- Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups
- Asian/Asian British
- Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
- Chinese
- Other
2. Overall absence by ethnicity
Ethnicity | % | Sessions |
---|---|---|
All | 4.6 | 109,518,001 |
Asian | 4.6 | 11,386,961 |
Bangladeshi | 5.0 | 1,993,974 |
Indian | 3.6 | 2,401,600 |
Pakistani | 5.4 | 5,420,851 |
Asian other | 3.9 | 1,570,536 |
Black | 3.4 | 4,547,588 |
Black African | 3.0 | 2,573,675 |
Black Caribbean | 4.6 | 1,330,289 |
Black other | 3.7 | 643,624 |
Chinese | 2.4 | 229,856 |
Mixed | 4.8 | 6,122,888 |
Mixed White/Asian | 4.4 | 1,294,391 |
Mixed White/Black African | 4.3 | 724,384 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 5.6 | 1,971,965 |
Mixed other | 4.7 | 2,132,148 |
White | 4.6 | 83,998,206 |
White British | 4.6 | 75,810,357 |
White Irish | 5.2 | 367,420 |
White Irish Traveller | 17.9 | 308,843 |
White Gypsy/Roma | 12.7 | 985,364 |
White other | 4.8 | 6,526,222 |
Other | 4.5 | 1,842,594 |
Unknown | 5.5 | 1,389,908 |
Download table data for ‘Overall absence by ethnicity’ (CSV) Source data for ‘Overall absence by ethnicity’ (CSV)
Summary of Absence from school Overall absence by ethnicity Summary
The data shows that:
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Chinese, Black African and Indian children had the lowest rates of overall absence: on average, they were absent from school for 2.4%, 3.0% and 3.6% of their total number of morning and afternoon sessions at school, respectively
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Traveller of Irish Heritage and Gypsy/Roma pupils were most likely to be absent, missing 17.9% and 12.7% of their total number of morning and afternoon sessions at school
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White British pupils missed an average of 4.6% of their total number of morning and afternoon sessions at school
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for broad rather than specific ethnic groups, Chinese and Black pupils had the lowest overall absence rates, and Mixed pupils the highest overall absence rate
3. Persistent absence by ethnicity
Ethnicity | % | Enrolmemts |
---|---|---|
All | 10.5 | 707,390 |
Asian | 9.7 | 68,025 |
Bangladeshi | 10.6 | 11,830 |
Indian | 6.1 | 11,460 |
Pakistani | 12.6 | 36,105 |
Asian other | 7.5 | 8,630 |
Black | 7.0 | 26,555 |
Black African | 5.1 | 12,565 |
Black Caribbean | 11.7 | 9,750 |
Black other | 8.5 | 4,235 |
Chinese | 3.1 | 825 |
Mixed | 12.1 | 43,145 |
Mixed White/Asian | 9.9 | 8,125 |
Mixed White/Black African | 10.2 | 4,795 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 15.7 | 15,725 |
Mixed other | 11.3 | 14,505 |
White | 10.7 | 542,530 |
White British | 10.4 | 480,080 |
White Irish | 13.8 | 2,745 |
White Irish Traveller | 63.2 | 3,645 |
White Gypsy/Roma | 48.0 | 11,810 |
White other | 11.5 | 44,245 |
Other | 10.0 | 11,785 |
Unknown | 16.4 | 14,525 |
Download table data for ‘Persistent absence by ethnicity’ (CSV) Source data for ‘Persistent absence by ethnicity’ (CSV)
Summary of Absence from school Persistent absence by ethnicity Summary
This data shows that:
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overall, 10% of pupils in England are classed as persistently absent (in other words, they have missed 10% or more of their total number of morning and afternoon sessions at school)
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Chinese, Black African and Indian children were least likely to be persistently absent: 3.1%, 5.1% and 6.1% of pupils in these groups missed 10% or more of their sessions at school
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63% of Travellers of Irish Heritage and 48% of Gypsy/Roma pupils were persistently absent
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10.4% of White British pupils were persistently absent
4. Overall absence by ethnicity and type of school
Primary | Secondary | Special | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Primary % | Primary Sessions | Secondary % | Secondary Sessions | Special % | Special Sessions |
All | 4.0 | 55,102,906 | 5.2 | 51,712,506 | 9.1 | 2,702,589 |
Asian | 4.5 | 6,497,357 | 4.6 | 4,569,080 | 11.1 | 320,524 |
Bangladeshi | 5.0 | 1,141,375 | 4.8 | 796,712 | 11.5 | 55,887 |
Indian | 3.6 | 1,399,239 | 3.6 | 958,467 | 8.4 | 43,894 |
Pakistani | 5.1 | 3,025,931 | 5.5 | 2,223,154 | 12.3 | 171,766 |
Asian other | 3.8 | 930,812 | 3.7 | 590,747 | 9.9 | 48,977 |
Black | 3.1 | 2,412,956 | 3.7 | 1,981,647 | 7.3 | 152,985 |
Black African | 2.8 | 1,433,387 | 3.2 | 1,052,357 | 6.8 | 87,931 |
Black Caribbean | 4.1 | 630,888 | 4.9 | 661,722 | 8.1 | 37,679 |
Black other | 3.4 | 348,681 | 4.0 | 267,568 | 8.4 | 27,375 |
Chinese | 2.5 | 148,223 | 2.2 | 76,358 | 5.7 | 5,275 |
Mixed | 4.3 | 3,378,331 | 5.6 | 2,597,895 | 9.0 | 146,662 |
Mixed White/Asian | 4.0 | 737,050 | 5.0 | 532,647 | 8.5 | 24,694 |
Mixed White/Black African | 3.9 | 417,957 | 5.1 | 290,525 | 7.6 | 15,902 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 4.8 | 1,012,005 | 6.5 | 909,589 | 9.8 | 50,371 |
Mixed other | 4.3 | 1,211,319 | 5.3 | 865,134 | 9.2 | 55,695 |
White | 4.0 | 41,039,657 | 5.4 | 40,987,008 | 8.9 | 1,971,541 |
White British | 3.9 | 36,130,383 | 5.3 | 37,846,176 | 8.8 | 1,833,798 |
White Irish | 4.7 | 176,884 | 5.7 | 180,397 | 13.5 | 10,139 |
White Irish Traveller | 17.6 | 230,227 | 18.2 | 69,931 | 24.3 | 8,685 |
White Gypsy/Roma | 11.6 | 589,436 | 14.6 | 377,253 | 18.1 | 18,675 |
White other | 4.5 | 3,912,727 | 5.3 | 2,513,251 | 9.7 | 100,244 |
Other | 4.4 | 1,077,347 | 4.7 | 718,954 | 10.2 | 46,293 |
Unknown | 4.8 | 549,035 | 5.9 | 781,564 | 10.2 | 46,293 |
Download table data for ‘Overall absence by ethnicity and type of school’ (CSV) Source data for ‘Overall absence by ethnicity and type of school’ (CSV)
Summary of Absence from school Overall absence by ethnicity and type of school Summary
This data shows that:
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in 2015/16, 68.6% of pupils in primary schools in England were White British, and 31.4% came from other ethnic groups; in secondary schools, 72.1% were White British and 27.9% came from other ethnic groups; and in special schools, 72.9% were White British, and 27.1% came from other ethnic groups
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with the exception of Chinese and Bangladeshi pupils, all ethnic groups had higher overall absence rates in secondary schools than in primary schools
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for all ethnic groups, pupils in special schools had the highest overall absence rates
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in primary schools, Traveller of Irish Heritage, Gypsy/Roma and Pakistani pupils had the highest rates of overall absence: on average, they were absent from school for 17.6%, 11.6% and 5.1% of their total number of morning and afternoon sessions at school respectively
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in secondary schools, Traveller of Irish Heritage, Gypsy/Roma and Mixed White and Black Caribbean pupils had the highest rates of overall absence, missing 18.2%, 14.6% and 6.5% of their sessions respectively
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Chinese and Black African pupils were least likely to be absent from both primary and secondary school, missing 2.5% and 2.8% and 2.2% and 3.2% of their sessions there respectively
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in special schools, Traveller of Irish Heritage, Gypsy/Roma and White Irish pupils were most likely to be absent, missing 24.3%, 18.1% and 13.5% of their sessions respectively
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Chinese and Black African pupils were least likely to be absent from special schools, missing 5.7% and 6.8% of their sessions respectively
5. Persistent absence by ethnicity and type of school
Primary | Secondary | Special | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Primary % | Primary Enrolments | Secondary % | Secondary Enrolments | Special % | Special Enrolments |
All | 8.2 | 314,625 | 13.1 | 370,145 | 26.9 | 22,620 |
Asian | 9.2 | 37,395 | 9.7 | 27,705 | 36.4 | 2,925 |
Bangladeshi | 10.8 | 6,855 | 9.4 | 4,455 | 38.9 | 520 |
Indian | 5.9 | 6,425 | 6.1 | 4,655 | 25.9 | 375 |
Pakistani | 11.6 | 19,270 | 13.0 | 15,255 | 40.7 | 1,580 |
Asian other | 7.0 | 4,845 | 7.4 | 3,335 | 32.7 | 450 |
Black | 6.0 | 13,180 | 7.9 | 12,115 | 21.6 | 1,255 |
Black African | 4.4 | 6,595 | 5.5 | 5,270 | 19.7 | 705 |
Black Caribbean | 10.3 | 4,435 | 12.9 | 4,985 | 24.6 | 330 |
Black other | 7.3 | 2,155 | 9.7 | 1,860 | 24.3 | 225 |
Chinese | 3.1 | 525 | 2.6 | 255 | 16.5 | 40 |
Mixed | 9.9 | 21,775 | 15.1 | 20,100 | 27.9 | 1,275 |
Mixed White/Asian | 8.1 | 4,115 | 12.7 | 3,810 | 24.9 | 200 |
Mixed White/Black African | 8.5 | 2,570 | 12.8 | 2,095 | 22.2 | 130 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 12.8 | 7,480 | 19.4 | 7,770 | 31.8 | 470 |
Mixed other | 9.6 | 7,610 | 13.8 | 6,420 | 28.0 | 475 |
White | 8.1 | 228,985 | 13.8 | 297,500 | 25.8 | 16,045 |
White British | 7.5 | 192,700 | 13.6 | 272,495 | 25.4 | 14,885 |
White Irish | 12.6 | 1,330 | 14.8 | 1,340 | 35.2 | 75 |
White Irish Traveller | 64.0 | 2,810 | 60.8 | 775 | 59.4 | 60 |
White Gypsy/Roma | 45.5 | 7,245 | 52.6 | 4,400 | 55.0 | 165 |
White other | 10.2 | 24,895 | 13.4 | 18,490 | 30.0 | 860 |
Other | 9.4 | 6,720 | 10.4 | 4,670 | 31.2 | 395 |
Unknown | 14.1 | 6,045 | 17.7 | 7,800 | 37.5 | 685 |
Download table data for ‘Persistent absence by ethnicity and type of school’ (CSV) Source data for ‘Persistent absence by ethnicity and type of school’ (CSV)
Summary of Absence from school Persistent absence by ethnicity and type of school Summary
This data shows that:
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in primary schools, Traveller of Irish Heritage, Gypsy/Roma, and Mixed White and Black Caribbean pupils were most likely to be persistently absent: 64%, 45.5% and 12.8% of these pupils missed 10% or more of their total number of morning and afternoon sessions at school respectively
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in secondary schools too, Traveller of Irish Heritage, Gypsy/Roma, and Mixed White and Black Caribbean pupils were most likely to be persistently absent: 60.8%, 52.6% and 19.4% missed 10% or more of their sessions at school
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Chinese and Black African pupils had the lowest percentages of persistent absence in both primary and secondary schools
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with the exception of pupils from a Traveller of Irish Heritage background, for all ethnic groups persistent absence rates were highest in special schools
6. Overall absence by ethnicity and local authority
Local authority | Asian | Black | Mixed | White | Chinese | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | % | % | % | % | % | |
Barking and Dagenham | 4.6 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 4.4 |
Barnet | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 4.7 |
Barnsley | 4.4 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 0.7 | 4.9 |
Bath and North East Somerset | 4.9 | 7.4 | 6.0 | 4.8 | 2.7 | 5.5 |
Bedford | 5.1 | 3.1 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 4.4 |
Bexley | 3.5 | 2.1 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 4.0 |
Birmingham | 5.2 | 3.7 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 4.5 |
Blackburn with Darwen | 4.4 | 3.0 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 5.5 |
Blackpool | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 3.9 |
Bolton | 4.0 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.0 | 5.5 |
Bournemouth | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 4.3 |
Bracknell Forest | 3.5 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 3.3 |
Bradford | 4.8 | 2.8 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 5.5 |
Brent | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 5.0 |
Brighton and Hove | 5.1 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 5.3 |
Bristol, City of | 5.7 | 5.1 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 2.9 | 5.7 |
Bromley | 3.9 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 4.1 |
Buckinghamshire | 5.4 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 4.6 |
Bury | 5.3 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 4.5 |
Calderdale | 4.3 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 4.8 |
Cambridgeshire | 4.7 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 4.6 |
Camden | 5.8 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 2.2 | 4.8 |
Central Bedfordshire | 4.5 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 5.2 |
Cheshire East | 4.5 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 5.3 |
Cheshire West and Chester | 4.7 | 3.3 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 4.3 |
City of London | 4.6 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 2.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 3.4 |
Cornwall | 4.8 | 3.1 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 6.2 |
County Durham | 4.3 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 3.0 | 5.1 |
Coventry | 3.9 | 2.5 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 4.2 |
Croydon | 4.6 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 4.8 |
Cumbria | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 4.6 |
Darlington | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 3.2 | 4.3 |
Derby | 4.5 | 3.3 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 5.5 |
Derbyshire | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 4.6 |
Devon | 4.1 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 4.5 |
Doncaster | 4.7 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 2.1 | 5.7 |
Dorset | 4.1 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 5.1 |
Dudley | 4.9 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 5.0 |
Ealing | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 4.5 |
East Riding of Yorkshire | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
East Sussex | 4.4 | 3.6 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 1.9 | 5.3 |
Enfield | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 2.3 | 4.6 |
Essex | 4.1 | 2.6 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 2.6 | 3.9 |
Gateshead | 4.5 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 4.5 |
Gloucestershire | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 4.9 |
Greenwich | 4.1 | 2.7 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 2.3 | 3.6 |
Hackney | 4.8 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 4.2 |
Halton | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 4.0 |
Hammersmith and Fulham | 4.5 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
Hampshire | 3.4 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 4.1 |
Haringey | 5.1 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 4.5 |
Harrow | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 5.0 |
Hartlepool | 4.6 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 1.8 | 4.5 |
Havering | 4.6 | 2.9 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 4.4 |
Herefordshire, County of | 4.0 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 3.5 |
Hertfordshire | 4.5 | 2.9 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 4.3 |
Hillingdon | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 4.0 |
Hounslow | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 4.0 |
Isle of Wight | 4.9 | 6.5 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 4.7 |
Isles of Scilly | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | 3.6 | 4.7 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Islington | 4.9 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 4.2 |
Kensington and Chelsea | 5.0 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 4.2 |
Kent | 3.6 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 4.4 |
Kingston upon Hull, City of | 4.6 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 4.8 |
Kingston upon Thames | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 3.6 |
Kirklees | 5.4 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 5.2 |
Knowsley | 2.9 | 4.2 | 6.1 | 5.5 | 2.3 | 4.4 |
Lambeth | 4.9 | 4.0 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 2.1 | 4.9 |
Lancashire | 4.9 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 4.6 |
Leeds | 5.2 | 2.8 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 4.9 |
Leicester | 4.1 | 3.7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 4.9 |
Leicestershire | 3.7 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 4.6 |
Lewisham | 4.3 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 2.3 | 4.5 |
Lincolnshire | 4.0 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 4.2 |
Liverpool | 4.1 | 3.6 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 4.9 |
Luton | 5.2 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 2.2 | 4.8 |
Manchester | 4.5 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 4.3 |
Medway | 4.2 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 4.1 |
Merton | 4.1 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 3.6 |
Middlesbrough | 4.7 | 2.6 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 2.6 | 5.1 |
Milton Keynes | 4.6 | 3.0 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 4.5 |
Newcastle upon Tyne | 4.5 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 4.5 |
Newham | 4.6 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 2.5 | 4.1 |
Norfolk | 4.6 | 3.0 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 4.6 |
North East Lincolnshire | 4.9 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 4.2 |
North Lincolnshire | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 5.8 |
North Somerset | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 3.0 | 4.5 |
North Tyneside | 4.8 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 5.5 |
North Yorkshire | 4.7 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 5.2 |
Northamptonshire | 4.3 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 2.1 | 4.2 |
Northumberland | 4.3 | 2.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 2.6 | 4.8 |
Nottingham | 4.6 | 2.9 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 4.8 |
Nottinghamshire | 4.5 | 3.2 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 4.9 |
Oldham | 5.1 | 2.6 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 5.9 |
Oxfordshire | 5.5 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 4.6 |
Peterborough | 4.5 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 3.7 |
Plymouth | 4.6 | 2.7 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 3.2 | 4.7 |
Poole | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 4.0 |
Portsmouth | 4.5 | 2.3 | 4.6 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 4.5 |
Reading | 4.3 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 4.3 |
Redbridge | 5.0 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 5.1 |
Redcar and Cleveland | 4.3 | 3.4 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 4.1 |
Richmond upon Thames | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 4.2 |
Rochdale | 4.7 | 2.4 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 2.3 | 4.4 |
Rotherham | 5.3 | 2.6 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 1.9 | 4.7 |
Rutland | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 4.5 |
Salford | 4.3 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 4.7 |
Sandwell | 4.2 | 3.4 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 2.3 | 5.1 |
Sefton | 4.4 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 |
Sheffield | 5.3 | 3.6 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 4.8 |
Shropshire | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 4.7 |
Slough | 4.4 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 2.1 | 4.2 |
Solihull | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 3.9 |
Somerset | 4.3 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 4.2 |
South Gloucestershire | 5.1 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 2.4 | 4.3 |
South Tyneside | 4.7 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 4.6 |
Southampton | 4.4 | 3.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 4.3 |
Southend-on-Sea | 4.3 | 2.4 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 4.6 |
Southwark | 4.9 | 3.0 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 4.3 |
St. Helens | 4.0 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 2.8 | 5.6 |
Staffordshire | 4.4 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 4.4 |
Stockport | 5.4 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 2.4 | 4.7 |
Stockton-on-Tees | 5.0 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 2.1 | 5.0 |
Stoke-on-Trent | 5.1 | 2.7 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 5.6 |
Suffolk | 4.8 | 3.3 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 4.0 |
Sunderland | 4.2 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 2.9 | 5.8 |
Surrey | 4.2 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 3.7 |
Sutton | 3.8 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 2.4 | 3.8 |
Swindon | 4.3 | 2.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 4.7 |
Tameside | 4.4 | 2.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 2.1 | 3.7 |
Telford and Wrekin | 4.3 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 1.7 | 4.1 |
Thurrock | 4.1 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 1.7 | 3.9 |
Torbay | 4.1 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 5.2 |
Tower Hamlets | 4.1 | 3.2 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 3.6 |
Trafford | 4.9 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 4.2 |
Wakefield | 5.4 | 2.9 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 4.7 |
Walsall | 4.3 | 3.0 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 5.3 |
Waltham Forest | 5.2 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 2.4 | 4.3 |
Wandsworth | 4.7 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 4.3 |
Warrington | 5.1 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 5.5 |
Warwickshire | 3.6 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 4.0 |
West Berkshire | 4.7 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 1.9 | 4.5 |
West Sussex | 4.7 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 4.5 |
Westminster | 5.2 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 5.1 |
Wigan | 5.0 | 2.7 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 5.0 |
Wiltshire | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 4.2 |
Windsor and Maidenhead | 4.7 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 4.2 |
Wirral | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 5.3 |
Wokingham | 4.5 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 5.1 |
Wolverhampton | 3.8 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 6.1 |
Worcestershire | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 4.5 |
York | 4.1 | 2.9 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 5.5 |
Download table data for ‘Overall absence by ethnicity and local authority’ (CSV) Source data for ‘Overall absence by ethnicity and local authority’ (CSV)
Summary of Absence from school Overall absence by ethnicity and local authority Summary
This data shows that:
-
Asian pupils had the highest overall absence rate in Camden in London (5.8%) and the lowest overall absence rate in Knowsley in the North West (2.9%)
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Black pupils had the highest overall absence rate in Bath and North East Somerset in the South West (7.4%) and the lowest overall absence rate in North East Lincolnshire in Yorkshire and the Humber (1.7%)
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Chinese pupils had the highest overall absence rate in Cumbria in North West (3.6%) and the lowest overall absence rate in Barnsley in Yorkshire and the Humber (0.7%)
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Mixed pupils had the highest overall absence rate in Knowsley in the North West (6.1%) and the lowest overall absence rate in Rutland in the East Midlands (3%)
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White pupils had the highest overall absence rate in Tower Hamlets in London (6.1%) and the lowest overall absence rate in the City of London (2.3%)
7. Persistent absence by ethnicity and local authority
Local authority | Asian | Black | Chinese | Mixed | White | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | % | % | % | % | % | |
Barking and Dagenham | 9.5 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 13.9 | 15.0 | 9.2 |
Barnet | 7.3 | 8.8 | 2.9 | 11.2 | 9.4 | 9.8 |
Barnsley | 11.3 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 9.2 | 12.7 | 12.1 |
Bath and North East Somerset | 11.7 | 22.1 | 5.2 | 15.2 | 10.7 | 13.6 |
Bedford | 11.5 | 5.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 12.3 | 9.5 | 7.5 |
Bexley | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 9.3 | 11.4 | 8.0 |
Birmingham | 11.8 | 8.3 | 4.1 | 14.6 | 13.5 | 10.4 |
Blackburn with Darwen | 9.4 | 6.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.8 | 13.0 | 17.8 |
Blackpool | 6.5 | 10.9 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 14.9 | 12.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Bolton | 7.6 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 13.2 | 11.6 | 16.1 |
Bournemouth | 5.8 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 11.1 | 10.7 | 8.9 |
Bracknell Forest | 5.3 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 4.4 |
Bradford | 10.9 | 5.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 17.5 | 14.1 | 15.7 |
Brent | 7.7 | 10.6 | 4.6 | 11.6 | 10.8 | 11.1 |
Brighton and Hove | 12.5 | 8.6 | 3.2 | 12.9 | 11.0 | 10.9 |
Bristol, City of | 15.6 | 13.5 | 5.3 | 16.3 | 14.0 | 15.1 |
Bromley | 7.9 | 7.0 | 4.4 | 10.7 | 9.8 | 9.6 |
Buckinghamshire | 13.5 | 8.6 | 5.3 | 12.7 | 10.2 | 9.5 |
Bury | 12.0 | 6.1 | 3.3 | 9.6 | 8.9 | 12.0 |
Calderdale | 8.4 | 4.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.6 | 8.8 | 14.5 |
Cambridgeshire | 11.4 | 7.4 | 4.8 | 9.7 | 9.0 | 10.8 |
Camden | 14.4 | 8.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 14.2 | 12.9 | 10.9 |
Central Bedfordshire | 10.0 | 7.5 | 2.9 | 12.1 | 10.0 | 14.0 |
Cheshire East | 9.9 | 6.8 | 2.0 | 10.5 | 8.8 | 15.5 |
Cheshire West and Chester | 11.5 | 6.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.7 | 10.2 | 7.9 |
City of London | 5.0 | 0.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Cornwall | 11.4 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 11.4 | 10.9 | 20.5 |
Coventry | 7.1 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 14.2 | 12.0 | 9.1 |
Croydon | 10.1 | 7.7 | 2.4 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 10.5 |
Cumbria | 10.9 | 14.1 | 6.7 | 10.8 | 10.6 | 15.1 |
Darlington | 10.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 7.7 | 12.4 | 12.7 | 6.8 |
Derby | 9.6 | 6.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 17.0 | 13.3 | 13.4 |
Derbyshire | 9.1 | 10.2 | 1.8 | 11.8 | 9.2 | 11.8 |
Devon | 7.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 10.8 | 8.8 | 10.0 |
Doncaster | 10.9 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 13.5 | 13.9 | 15.8 |
Dorset | 9.9 | 10.1 | 3.5 | 8.2 | 10.9 | 18.0 |
Dudley | 10.6 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 15.1 | 11.1 | 10.7 |
Durham | 10.5 | 5.3 | 7.0 | 10.2 | 11.0 | 15.2 |
Ealing | 8.7 | 9.2 | 2.0 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 8.9 |
East Riding of Yorkshire | 9.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.0 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 4.9 |
East Sussex | 9.8 | 7.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 13.3 | 12.3 | 13.5 |
Enfield | 10.2 | 9.0 | 2.6 | 12.6 | 13.2 | 9.8 |
Essex | 8.6 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 7.9 |
Gateshead | 9.3 | 3.6 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 10.1 | 10.2 |
Gloucestershire | 9.2 | 7.5 | 3.1 | 13.3 | 10.2 | 12.5 |
Greenwich | 7.0 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 12.1 | 13.1 | 6.1 |
Hackney | 9.5 | 6.9 | 2.9 | 12.5 | 9.5 | 7.9 |
Halton | 14.3 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 10.6 | 11.6 | 0.0 |
Hammersmith and Fulham | 10.7 | 9.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 13.9 | 11.1 | 10.2 |
Hampshire | 5.8 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.0 |
Haringey | 11.3 | 8.5 | 2.7 | 12.6 | 11.2 | 9.7 |
Harrow | 6.6 | 10.0 | 3.4 | 11.9 | 10.7 | 10.4 |
Hartlepool | 10.0 | 8.5 | 0.0 | 9.4 | 11.9 | 20.0 |
Havering | 9.6 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 12.9 | 12.0 | 10.1 |
Herefordshire | 11.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | 8.4 | 9.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Hertfordshire | 8.9 | 5.0 | 3.4 | 10.7 | 9.6 | 10.0 |
Hillingdon | 7.9 | 8.6 | 4.3 | 9.8 | 14.2 | 7.1 |
Hounslow | 6.6 | 7.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.1 | 12.4 | 5.9 |
Isle of Wight | 11.1 | 11.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.4 | 11.7 | 15.6 |
Isles of Scilly | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.0 | 6.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Islington | 10.1 | 7.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.9 | 12.9 | 7.6 |
Kensington and Chelsea | 10.1 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 10.6 | 10.1 | 8.0 |
Kent | 6.3 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 9.3 |
Kingston upon Hull, City of | 9.5 | 3.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.8 | 12.0 | 13.5 |
Kingston upon Thames | 7.4 | 8.7 | 1.5 | 7.9 | 8.5 | 6.2 |
Kirklees | 12.4 | 9.1 | 1.9 | 14.1 | 8.9 | 11.0 |
Knowsley | 4.7 | 7.7 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 14.5 | 15.1 | 10.8 |
Lambeth | 10.2 | 8.4 | 2.5 | 12.6 | 9.8 | 11.1 |
Lancashire | 10.7 | 8.2 | 2.7 | 10.3 | 9.4 | 10.6 |
Leeds | 12.1 | 5.1 | 2.2 | 14.3 | 11.4 | 11.6 |
Leicester | 8.0 | 7.0 | 2.6 | 16.5 | 17.1 | 10.6 |
Leicestershire | 6.1 | 5.2 | 3.0 | 10.3 | 9.3 | 8.1 |
Lewisham | 8.4 | 9.1 | 2.0 | 12.3 | 12.8 | 10.2 |
Lincolnshire | 8.4 | 7.0 | 1.9 | 10.9 | 10.8 | 9.7 |
Liverpool | 7.7 | 8.0 | 2.6 | 15.9 | 15.0 | 10.9 |
Luton | 11.7 | 7.1 | 3.5 | 14.1 | 14.3 | 10.4 |
Manchester | 9.2 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 12.8 | 13.4 | 9.4 |
Medway | 7.6 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 8.8 |
Merton | 7.8 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 9.2 | 10.4 | 6.3 |
Middlesbrough | 10.7 | 4.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 15.2 | 16.1 | 13.6 |
Milton Keynes | 10.0 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 10.0 |
Newcastle upon Tyne | 9.4 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 10.0 | 12.9 | 11.0 |
Newham | 9.9 | 6.4 | 1.7 | 13.0 | 16.0 | 8.6 |
Norfolk | 10.8 | 5.2 | 3.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 8.8 |
North East Lincolnshire | 9.5 | 0.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 12.2 | 11.3 | 9.4 |
North Lincolnshire | 9.4 | 8.7 | 0.0 | 8.7 | 9.4 | 18.7 |
North Somerset | 11.9 | 9.9 | 5.3 | 11.4 | 10.4 | 6.3 |
North Tyneside | 12.2 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 8.6 | 9.7 | 15.7 |
North Yorkshire | 10.9 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 9.8 | 9.5 | 10.4 |
Northamptonshire | 8.5 | 5.6 | 3.3 | 11.7 | 10.6 | 8.5 |
Northumberland | 10.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | 13.4 | 10.1 | 12.9 |
Nottingham | 9.6 | 5.6 | 2.9 | 12.6 | 12.9 | 13.2 |
Nottinghamshire | 9.6 | 7.6 | 3.1 | 11.2 | 9.8 | 13.3 |
Oldham | 11.0 | 4.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 15.9 | 12.2 | 18.3 |
Oxfordshire | 14.5 | 7.6 | 2.4 | 12.6 | 10.0 | 11.1 |
Peterborough | 8.8 | 4.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.4 | 11.6 | 9.1 |
Plymouth | 8.9 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 9.7 | 10.6 | 10.5 |
Poole | 6.1 | 5.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.5 | 9.9 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Portsmouth | 10.0 | 5.0 | 6.9 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 12.4 |
Reading | 9.2 | 5.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 14.1 | 11.4 | 9.5 |
Redbridge | 10.8 | 8.7 | 2.4 | 12.8 | 12.2 | 11.6 |
Redcar and Cleveland | 9.6 | 9.4 | 0.0 | 11.9 | 11.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Richmond upon Thames | 8.8 | 7.8 | 2.2 | 8.9 | 7.0 | 7.9 |
Rochdale | 9.1 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 9.7 | 11.4 | 7.4 |
Rotherham | 12.4 | 5.8 | 4.8 | 16.4 | 13.0 | 9.9 |
Rutland | 6.4 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 15.0 |
Salford | 7.5 | 4.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.0 | 12.6 | 12.3 |
Sandwell | 7.8 | 6.4 | 2.5 | 13.8 | 12.8 | 11.4 |
Sefton | 10.8 | 5.8 | 10.0 | 10.2 | 12.3 | 14.8 |
Sheffield | 13.2 | 7.3 | 2.6 | 15.6 | 12.9 | 10.6 |
Shropshire | 11.5 | 10.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 9.6 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
Slough | 8.0 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 10.5 | 11.3 | 6.8 |
Solihull | 9.0 | 7.7 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 14.8 | 10.7 | 6.5 |
Somerset | 9.5 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 12.0 | 10.2 | 9.2 |
South Gloucestershire | 13.8 | 10.2 | 4.0 | 14.1 | 10.8 | 11.7 |
South Tyneside | 9.0 | 5.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 8.2 | 11.4 | 12.1 |
Southampton | 9.3 | 5.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.9 | 11.2 | 10.9 |
Southend-on-Sea | 9.0 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 12.0 |
Southwark | 9.9 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 12.2 | 12.8 | 9.8 |
St. Helens | 9.4 | 8.6 | 0.0 | 10.7 | 10.9 | 14.5 |
Staffordshire | 8.6 | 8.8 | 2.7 | 12.1 | 9.0 | 10.1 |
Stockport | 12.4 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 12.4 | 10.7 | 10.8 |
Stockton-on-Tees | 11.3 | 2.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.5 | 10.7 | 9.5 |
Stoke-on-Trent | 12.7 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 14.7 | 12.3 | 20.1 |
Suffolk | 11.3 | 6.7 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.5 | 9.7 | 9.2 |
Sunderland | 7.8 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 12.2 | 11.7 | 20.9 |
Surrey | 8.3 | 6.4 | 3.1 | 7.8 | 8.8 | 6.4 |
Sutton | 6.9 | 6.0 | 2.6 | 9.1 | 10.8 | 7.7 |
Swindon | 8.9 | 5.8 | 3.4 | 11.1 | 10.2 | 11.0 |
Tameside | 8.1 | 5.7 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.0 | 10.1 | 5.3 |
Telford and Wrekin | 8.6 | 5.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 11.9 | 10.8 | 10.7 |
Thurrock | 8.0 | 3.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.7 | 11.3 | 10.5 |
Torbay | 8.7 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | 15.3 | 12.5 | 17.3 |
Tower Hamlets | 7.6 | 5.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 15.3 | 17.9 | 7.3 |
Trafford | 10.7 | 6.4 | 1.5 | 10.3 | 7.7 | 8.1 |
Wakefield | 13.1 | 4.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 12.8 | 11.5 | 7.1 |
Walsall | 8.5 | 6.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 15.1 | 12.5 | 14.4 |
Waltham Forest | 11.3 | 8.9 | 6.3 | 13.5 | 12.8 | 8.5 |
Wandsworth | 9.9 | 9.7 | 2.6 | 13.2 | 9.1 | 9.4 |
Warrington | 11.7 | 7.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.5 | 9.3 | 13.5 |
Warwickshire | 5.9 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 10.2 | 9.3 | 9.0 |
West Berkshire | 10.3 | 5.9 | 0.0 | 10.3 | 8.1 | 9.5 |
West Sussex | 10.7 | 8.1 | 3.3 | 11.3 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
Westminster | 12.1 | 9.6 | 3.2 | 14.5 | 11.3 | 11.1 |
Wigan | 14.0 | 5.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.1 | 10.0 | 12.1 |
Wiltshire | 8.4 | 9.1 | 5.4 | 10.7 | 10.2 | 9.5 |
Windsor and Maidenhead | 9.2 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 7.9 | 8.6 | 8.8 |
Wirral | 9.8 | 9.8 | 2.4 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 9.8 |
Wokingham | 9.0 | 5.7 | 4.3 | 10.0 | 8.1 | 11.0 |
Wolverhampton | 7.1 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 13.8 | 12.6 | 24.1 |
Worcestershire | 10.0 | 8.1 | 0.0 | 10.5 | 9.6 | 11.7 |
York | 10.3 | 5.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.1 | 9.0 | 17.6 |
Download table data for ‘Persistent absence by ethnicity and local authority’ (CSV) Source data for ‘Persistent absence by ethnicity and local authority’ (CSV)
Summary of Absence from school Persistent absence by ethnicity and local authority Summary
-
Asian pupils had the highest persistent absence rate in Bristol in the South West (15.6%) and the lowest persistent absence rate in Bexley in London (4.5%)
-
Black pupils had the highest persistent absence rate in Halton in the North West (25%) and the lowest persistent absence rate in North East Lincolnshire in Yorkshire and the Humber (0%)
-
Chinese pupils had the highest persistent absence rate in Sefton in the North West and East Riding in Yorkshire and the Humber (both 10%) and an absence rate of 0% in 12 local authorities
-
Mixed pupils had the highest persistent absence rate in Bradford in Yorkshire and the Humber (17.5%) and the lowest persistent absence rate in the Isles of Scilly in the South West (0%)
-
White pupils had the highest persistent absence rate in Tower Hamlets in London (17.9%) and the lowest persistent absence rate in Rutland in the East Midlands (5.1%)
8. Methodology
Pupil absence is reported by schools and collected via the termly school census. The national codes enable schools to record and monitor attendance and absence in a consistent way which complies with the regulations. They are also used for collecting statistics through the school census System. The data helps schools, local authorities and the government to gain a greater understanding of the level of, and the reasons for, absence.
Absence information is taken from the termly school census and matched to give figures for each enrolment for the full academic year. The school census collects information for a pupil’s attendance in the term prior to the census, in other words, 1 term in arrears. For example, the spring school census collects information on absence during the autumn term. Data is collected 1 term in arrears to ensure all absences are accounted for and recorded in each term. Special schools provide annual absence data in the autumn school census.
Absence information is collected and disseminated at enrolment level rather than pupil level. This means that where a pupil has moved school throughout the year, they will be counted more than once as they have recorded attendance at more than 1 school. This allows for schools to be held accountable for pupil absences, as the absence is attached to enrolments at a particular school, not the individual pupil.
Suppression rules and disclosure control
Enrolment numbers at national and regional levels are rounded to the nearest 5. Local authority totals across school types are also rounded to the nearest 5 to prevent disclosure of any suppressed values.
Enrolment numbers of less than 3 and rates based on fewer than 3 pupil enrolments have been suppressed.
This is because, where the size of the ethnic group population is small enough that an individual’s identity could be revealed, information is suppressed to preserve confidentiality. The Code of Practice for Official Statistics requires DfE to take reasonable steps to ensure that their published or disseminated statistics protect confidentiality.
For more information about DfE’s disclosure control procedures for its statistical releases please see DfE’s statistical policy statement on confidentiality (PDF opens in a new window or tab)
Rounding
Enrolment numbers at national and regional levels are rounded to the nearest 5. Local authority totals across school types are also rounded to the nearest 5 to prevent disclosure of any suppressed values.
Related publications
Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2016
Quality and methodology information
9. Data sources
Source
Type of data
Administrative data
Type of statistic
National Statistics
Publisher
Department for Education
Publication frequency
Every academic term
Purpose of data source
The data helps schools, local authorities and the government have a greater understanding of the level of absence and the reasons for it.
10. Download the data
This file contains the following: measure, ethnicity, school type, value, denominator and numerator.
This file contains the following: measure, ethnicity, local authority, school type, value, denominator and numerator.