Statistics on pupil absence in schools in England: autumn term 2016

The Department for Education has published indicative figures on overall, authorised, unauthorised and persistent absence in:

• state-funded primary schools
• state-funded secondary schools
• pupil referral units (these provide education for children who can’t go to a mainstream school)

It includes information on:

• reasons for absence
• persistent absence

The release uses pupil-level absence data that we collect in the school census.