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Slow and steady: School attendance continues to improve

Absence and persistent absence in secondary schools are down year-on-year, but around 1 in 4 students are still missing 10% of their schooling.
Up and Up: Attendance figures for the spring term 2025 are showing improvements year-on-year, including for disadvantaged students - Adobe Stock

Attendance figures for the spring term 2025 show that absence in secondary schools stands at 8.7% – of which 3.3% was unauthorised absence.

Persistent absence, meanwhile – students who miss at least 10% of school – is running at 24.5%.

While the figures continue to be notably above pre-pandemic levels, progress is being made year-on-year.

The figures compare to the spring term 2024 when absence stood at 9.2% (of which 3.6% was unauthorised). Persistent absence a year ago stood at 26.5%.

It comes after the annual conference of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) heard calls for attendance accountability to be spread fairly between schools, families, and local authorities.

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