Absenteeism from primary schools: September 2017 to August 2018

Key points

• In 2017/18, 5.5% of half day sessions were missed due to overall absence and 1.3% of half-day sessions were missed through unauthorised absence.
• In general, overall absence has been falling since 2006/07.
• Overall absence increased in 2017/18 after remaining the same for the previous three years. Unauthorised absence increased in 2017/18 after remaining the same for the previous two years.
• The percentage of pupils in primary schools who were persistent absentees increased in 2017/18 after remaining the same for the previous two years.
• The percentage of pupils with no absence decreased in 2017/18. The percentage of pupils missing more than 20 days increased in 2017/18.