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England · School phases

6.60%

Overall absence

2024/256.63%

2025/266.60%

Scale: 0–10% · Same autumn and spring coverage

The attendance edition

Overall absence fell. Severe absence rose.

A closer look at England’s attendance data, and the patterns the headline misses.

Explore the findings

DfE · Autumn and spring terms: 2024/25 and 2025/26
Published analysis

More to discover

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1 article for “SEND”

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SEND. A changing classroom. January school census: 2024/25 and 2025/26

SEND

More identified SEND, fewer pupils: what is changing in mainstream schools?

Identified special educational needs increased in both mainstream phases even as the overall school population fell. The planning question is how provision should respond.

Published · DfE data

Compare the figures

Pupils with an EHC plan

Rate (%)

England · SEND · January school census: 2024/25 and 2025/26

2024/252025/26

Primary

3.46 %

4.08 %

Secondary

3.09 %

3.53 %

All schools

5.34 %

6.04 %

0%Scale maximum: 10%

Percentage of pupils with the specified provision, within each school-phase population. All schools is a separate national total, not a sum of the two mainstream phases. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England.
Source published 2026-06-11. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Pupils with an EHC plan, %
Group	2024/25 (%)	2025/26 (%)
Primary	3.46	4.08
Secondary	3.09	3.53
All schools	5.34	6.04

A narrower gap. More to do. 2018/19 and 2024/25 final; 2025/26 provisional · England state-funded schools

Disadvantage

The GCSE disadvantage gap narrowed, but remains wider than before the pandemic

Both headline gaps narrowed compared with the previous cohort, but remained wider than the pre-pandemic baseline. Improvement and a substantial remaining gap can both be true.

Published · DfE data

Compare the figures

Average Attainment 8 score

points

England · Disadvantage · 2024/25 final and 2025/26 provisional

2024/252025/26

Disadvantaged

34.9 points

35.6 points

Other pupils

50.4 points

50.7 points

0Scale maximum: 60 points

Average Attainment 8 score. Other pupils means not known to be disadvantaged. Latest year provisional; previous year final. Same national population definition, different cohorts. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Key stage 4 performance.
Source published 2026-10-15. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Average Attainment 8 score, points
Group	2024/25 (points)	2025/26 (points)
Disadvantaged	34.9	35.6
Other pupils	50.4	50.7

Fewer pupils. New decisions. 2026 actual and 2031 projected · Principal 2026 model · Ages up to 15 · FTE

Pupil numbers

Fewer pupils ahead: what the national projections mean for school planning

The principal national projection points to smaller nursery, primary and secondary populations. Leaders need local scenarios, not a uniform assumption that every school will shrink.

Published · DfE data

Compare the figures

Pupil numbers by mainstream phase

FTE pupils

England · Pupil numbers · 2026 actual and 2031 projected · Principal 2026 model · Ages up to 15 · FTE

2026 (actual)2031 (projected)

Nursery and primary

4,423,864 FTE pupils

3,950,811 FTE pupils

Secondary

3,216,206 FTE pupils

2,967,150 FTE pupils

0Scale maximum: 5,000,000 FTE pupils

Full-time equivalent pupils aged up to fifteen. The later year is the principal projection, not an observed count. State-funded nursery/primary and secondary school types are shown separately. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, National pupil projections.
Source published 2026-07-16. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Pupil numbers by mainstream phase, FTE pupils
Group	2026 (actual) (FTE pupils)	2031 (projected) (FTE pupils)
Nursery and primary	4,423,864	3,950,811
Secondary	3,216,206	2,967,150

Different experiences.
A fuller picture.

Pupil groups

Absence patterns by FSM eligibility and SEN provision

The supplied figures show different directions of change across absence measures and groups. They are descriptive and do not explain why patterns changed.

Published · DfE data

Compare the figures

Overall absence

Rate (%)

England · Pupil groups · Autumn and spring terms only

2024/252025/26

EHC plan

12.74 %

12.99 %

FSM eligible

10.29 %

FSM not eligible

5.23 %

5.12 %

No identified SEN

5.66 %

5.52 %

SEN support

9.63 %

9.53 %

0%Scale maximum: 15%

Missed sessions as a percentage of possible sessions. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England.
Source published 2026-10-15. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Overall absence, %
Group	2024/25 (%)	2025/26 (%)
EHC plan	12.74	12.99
FSM eligible	10.29	10.29
FSM not eligible	5.23	5.12
No identified SEN	5.66	5.52
SEN support	9.63	9.53

6.04–7.10%Overall absence across regions2025/26 · Autumn and spring

Across England

How much does the national picture hide regional differences?

Overall and persistent absence decreased nationally, while severe absence increased. Regional patterns differed for overall and persistent absence, but severe absence increased in every region shown.

Published · DfE data

Compare the figures

Overall absence

Rate (%)

England · Across England · Autumn and spring terms only

2024/252025/26

England

6.63 %

6.60 %

London

6.14 %

6.04 %

North East

6.97 %

7.10 %

0%Scale maximum: 10%

England and the lowest/highest regional rates in 2025/26. All regions in the table.

Missed sessions as a percentage of possible sessions. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England.
Source published 2026-10-15. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Overall absence, %
Group	2024/25 (%)	2025/26 (%)
East Midlands	6.53	6.49
East of England	6.56	6.51
England	6.63	6.60
London	6.14	6.04
North East	6.97	7.10
North West	6.65	6.69
South East	6.68	6.56
South West	6.94	6.90
West Midlands	6.68	6.61
Yorkshire and The Humber	6.89	6.97

17.50%Persistent absence · England2025/26 · Autumn and spring

School phases

Is attendance recovery reaching pupils with the most absence?

The changes are mixed. Overall and severe absence increased for special schools, while persistent absence decreased. The aggregate figures do not show what happened to individual pupils or explain these patterns.

Published · DfE data

Compare the figures

Overall absence

Rate (%)

England · School phases · Autumn and spring terms only

2024/252025/26

Special

12.77 %

12.86 %

State-funded primary

5.16 %

5.13 %

State-funded secondary

8.09 %

8.01 %

All schools

6.63 %

6.60 %

0%Scale maximum: 15%

Missed sessions as a percentage of possible sessions. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England.
Source published 2026-10-15. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Overall absence, %
Group	2024/25 (%)	2025/26 (%)
Special	12.77	12.86
State-funded primary	5.16	5.13
State-funded secondary	8.09	8.01
Total	6.63	6.60

From the source

Look closer at the numbers.

England · Autumn and spring terms: 2024/25 and 2025/26

Overall absence6.60%↓ 0.03 percentage points2024/25 → 2025/26

Persistent absence17.50%↓ 0.13 percentage points2024/25 → 2025/26

Severe absence2.32%↑ 0.06 percentage points2024/25 → 2025/26

Overall absence

Rate (%)

England · School phases · Autumn and spring terms only

2024/252025/26

Special

12.77 %

12.86 %

State-funded primary

5.16 %

5.13 %

State-funded secondary

8.09 %

8.01 %

All schools

6.63 %

6.60 %

0%Scale maximum: 15%

Missed sessions as a percentage of possible sessions. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England.
Source published 2026-10-15. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Explore the data

Overall absence, %
Group	2024/25 (%)	2025/26 (%)
Special	12.77	12.86
State-funded primary	5.16	5.13
State-funded secondary	8.09	8.01
Total	6.63	6.60

Persistent absence

Rate (%)

England · School phases · Autumn and spring terms only

2024/252025/26

Special

35.21 %

34.72 %

State-funded primary

13.31 %

13.25 %

State-funded secondary

21.86 %

21.55 %

All schools

17.63 %

17.50 %

0%Scale maximum: 40%

Pupil enrolments missing 10% or more of possible sessions. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England.
Source published 2026-10-15. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Persistent absence, %
Group	2024/25 (%)	2025/26 (%)
Special	35.21	34.72
State-funded primary	13.31	13.25
State-funded secondary	21.86	21.55
Total	17.63	17.50

Severe absence

Rate (%)

England · School phases · Autumn and spring terms only

2024/252025/26

Special

6.66 %

6.88 %

State-funded primary

0.92 %

1.05 %

State-funded secondary

3.62 %

3.57 %

All schools

2.26 %

2.32 %

0%Scale maximum: 10%

Pupil enrolments missing 50% or more of possible sessions. Scale starts at zero.

SMID Insights analysis · Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England.
Source published 2026-10-15. Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Explore the data

Severe absence, %
Group	2024/25 (%)	2025/26 (%)
Special	6.66	6.88
State-funded primary	0.92	1.05
State-funded secondary	3.62	3.57
Total	2.26	2.32

Source: Department for Education · Published 2026-10-15

Data sources

Special educational needs in England ↗

Key stage 4 performance ↗

National pupil projections ↗

Pupil absence in schools in England ↗

A clearer view ofeducation.

What would you like to explore?

Overall absence fell. Severe absence rose.

More to discover

More identified SEND, fewer pupils: what is changing in mainstream schools?

Pupils with an EHC plan

The GCSE disadvantage gap narrowed, but remains wider than before the pandemic

Average Attainment 8 score

Fewer pupils ahead: what the national projections mean for school planning

Pupil numbers by mainstream phase

Absence patterns by FSM eligibility and SEN provision

Overall absence

How much does the national picture hide regional differences?

Overall absence

Is attendance recovery reaching pupils with the most absence?

Overall absence

Look closer at the numbers.

Overall absence

Persistent absence

Severe absence

Data sources

A clearer view of
education.