Core indicator
Education
Children persistently absent from school
Last updated July 2025
(July 2025)
Latest figures are for the academic year ending July 2025. Last reviewed: July 2026
What is this sector and how are we measuring it?
Schools and other education settings aim to provide a safe and positive place to learn and help children realise their potential. Absence from school (missed attendance, as well as temporary suspension and permanent exclusion) not only impacts students’ attainment but is also associated with involvement in violence.
Learn more about YEF’s work within the education sector, and the evidence-based approaches for what works in reducing violence.
Research by the Department for Education shows children who are persistently absent without an authorised reason are more likely to commit a serious violent offence after accounting for a range of factors. For this reason, and due to the stark increase in school absence following the pandemic, we’re using the proportion of children persistently absent from school (primary, secondary and special schools) in England as our core indicator for this sector. The latest annual data (2024/25) was published in March 2026.
What does our core indicator show?
Overall, this measure shows a mixed picture. Prior to Covid, the proportion of children persistently absent was fairly stable. However, after the pandemic rates of absence in England reached record highs – jumping from 11% in 2018/19 to 23% in 2021/22. In 2024/25, the rate fell for the third consecutive year. But it still stands at 18% – up 7.3%pts compared to before Covid.
Read our full beyond the headlines report
- Report
Report:Beyond the Headlines 2026
About the report Beyond the Headlines is our annual look at key trends and data on violence affecting children and young people. We use 11 indicators to track whether things are getting better or worse, and how well the systems that matter most for supporting children and young people are performing. This year we’ve added a new indicator…
