Data set from Pupil absence in schools in England

Absence in state-funded alternative provision - school level

Not the latest data

Published 26 March 2026

Last updated 26 March 2026

School level absence information for full academic years for all enrolments in state-funded alternative provision (including pupil referral units) with information on overall absence, persistent absence and reason for absence for pupils aged 5-15.

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Data set details

• Theme: Pupils and schools
• Publication: Pupil absence in schools in England
• Release: Academic year 2024/25
• Number of rows: 3,793
• Geographic levels: School
• Indicators:
  • Overall absence rate
  • Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
  • Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)
  • Number of pupil enrolments
  • Number of sessions possible
  • Number of overall absence sessions
  • Number of authorised absence sessions
  • Number of unauthorised absence sessions
  • Authorised absence rate
  • Unauthorised absence rate
  • Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
  • Number of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)
  • Number of authorised holiday sessions
  • Number of authorised other sessions
  • Number of authorised reasons sessions
  • Number of excluded sessions
  • Number of extended authorised holiday sessions
  • Number of illness sessions
  • Number of interview sessions
  • Number of late sessions
  • Number of medical appointments sessions
  • Number of regulated performance sessions
  • Number of religious observance sessions
  • Number of study leave sessions
  • Number of temporary reduced timetable sessions
  • Number of traveller sessions
  • Number of unauthorised holiday sessions
  • Number of unauthorised other sessions
  • Number of unauthorised reasons sessions
  • Number of no reason yet sessions
  • Number of overall reasons sessions
  • Number of sessions recorded as exceptional circumstances
  • Number of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
  • Number of sessions unable to attend because of access arrangements
  • Rate of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
• Time period: 2013/14 to 2024/25

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Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data

time_period	time_identifier	geographic_level	country_code	country_name	region_code	region_name	old_la_code	new_la_code	la_name	education_phase	school_name	trust_name	estab	school_laestab	school_urn	academy_type	academy_open_date	all_through	enrolments	sess_possible	sess_overall	sess_authorised	sess_unauthorised	sess_overall_percent	sess_authorised_percent	sess_unauthorised_percent	enrolments_pa_10_exact	enrolments_pa_10_exact_percent	enrolments_pa_50_exact	enrolments_pa_50_exact_percent	sess_auth_illness	sess_auth_appointments	sess_auth_religious	sess_auth_study	sess_auth_traveller	sess_auth_holiday	sess_auth_ext_holiday	sess_auth_excluded	sess_auth_interview	sess_auth_reg_performance	sess_auth_temp_reduced_timetable	sess_auth_other	sess_auth_totalreasons	sess_unauth_holiday	sess_unauth_late	sess_unauth_other	sess_unauth_noyet	sess_unauth_totalreasons	sess_overall_totalreasons	sess_x_covid	sess_y_exceptional	sess_q_la_arrangements	sess_x_covid_rate
202425	Academic year	School	E92000001	England	E12000009	South West	839	E06000058	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	State funded alternative provision	The Quay School	SOUTHERN EDUCATION TRUST	1100	8391100	139498	AP converter academy	01/04/2013	All through	126	28673	10929	6821	4108	38.116	23.78893	14.32707	114	90.47619	42	33.33333	3542	237	0	42	0	z	z	42	36	1	2684	237	6821	81	196	3823	8	4108	10929	z	301	154	z
202425	Academic year	School	E92000001	England	E12000009	South West	880	E06000027	Torbay	State funded alternative provision	The Lodestar Academy	THE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST	1100	8801100	144031	AP sponsor led academy	01/04/2017		65	15630	5842	2240	3602	37.37684	14.33141	23.04543	60	92.30769	20	30.76923	688	83	0	31	0	z	z	415	0	0	359	664	2240	54	46	3501	1	3602	5842	z	636	0	z
202425	Academic year	School	E92000001	England	E12000009	South West	908	E06000052	Cornwall	State funded alternative provision	Penwith Alternative Provision Academy	WAVE MULTI ACADEMY TRUST	1102	9081102	139760	AP converter academy	01/06/2013	All through	67	17934	6688	4583	2105	37.29229	25.55481	11.73748	59	88.0597	18	26.86567	1598	198	0	62	0	z	z	383	9	8	2187	138	4583	126	103	1862	14	2105	6688	z	240	1	z
202425	Academic year	School	E92000001	England	E12000009	South West	933	E06000066	Somerset	State funded alternative provision	Tor School		1109	9331109	134694			All through	67	11985	5847	4693	1154	48.78598	39.15728	9.6287	59	88.0597	32	47.76119	681	118	0	0	0	z	z	204	29	1	3497	163	4693	105	219	829	1	1154	5847	z	28	4	z
202425	Academic year	School	E92000001	England	E12000009	South West	933	E06000066	Somerset	State funded alternative provision	South Somerset Partnership School		1112	9331112	134697			All through	86	19966	10033	6520	3513	50.25043	32.65551	17.59491	80	93.02326	46	53.48837	467	83	1	266	8	z	z	249	29	2	4918	497	6520	119	74	3320	0	3513	10033	z	272	36	z

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Variables in this data set

Table showing all 35 variables

Variable name	Variable description
enrolments	Number of pupil enrolments
enrolments_pa_10_exact	Number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
enrolments_pa_10_exact_percent	Percentage of persistent absentees (10% or more missed)
enrolments_pa_50_exact	Number of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)
enrolments_pa_50_exact_percent	Percentage of severely absent pupils (50% or more missed)
sess_auth_appointments	Number of medical appointments sessions
sess_auth_excluded	Number of excluded sessions
sess_auth_ext_holiday	Number of extended authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_holiday	Number of authorised holiday sessions
sess_auth_illness	Number of illness sessions
sess_auth_interview	Number of interview sessions
sess_auth_other	Number of authorised other sessions
sess_auth_reg_performance	Number of regulated performance sessions
sess_auth_religious	Number of religious observance sessions
sess_auth_study	Number of study leave sessions
sess_auth_temp_reduced_timetable	Number of temporary reduced timetable sessions
sess_auth_totalreasons	Number of authorised reasons sessions
sess_auth_traveller	Number of traveller sessions
sess_authorised	Number of authorised absence sessions
sess_authorised_percent	Authorised absence rate
sess_overall	Number of overall absence sessions
sess_overall_percent	Overall absence rate
sess_overall_totalreasons	Number of overall reasons sessions
sess_possible	Number of sessions possible
sess_q_la_arrangements	Number of sessions unable to attend because of access arrangements
sess_unauth_holiday	Number of unauthorised holiday sessions
sess_unauth_late	Number of late sessions
sess_unauth_noyet	Number of no reason yet sessions
sess_unauth_other	Number of unauthorised other sessions
sess_unauth_totalreasons	Number of unauthorised reasons sessions
sess_unauthorised	Number of unauthorised absence sessions
sess_unauthorised_percent	Unauthorised absence rate
sess_x_covid	Number of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_x_covid_rate	Rate of sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances
sess_y_exceptional	Number of sessions recorded as exceptional circumstances

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Footnotes

1. Sessions recorded as not attending due to COVID circumstances are included as possible sessions in 2020/21 and 2021/22 only, but not as an absence within absence rates.

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Using this data

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Python

import pandas as pd

pd.read_csv("https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/144e6bc0-51f7-4eaa-aa11-5338a5b71bd9/csv")

R

read.csv("https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/144e6bc0-51f7-4eaa-aa11-5338a5b71bd9/csv")

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Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Absence in state-funded alternative provision - school level statistics and data:

Attendance and exclusions statistics team

Email: schools.statistics@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Attendance and exclusions statistics team

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