DfE publishes 2016/17 absence statistics
The overall absence rate in England has increased from 4.6 per cent in 2015/16 to 4.7 per cent in 2016/17. The authorised absence rate stayed the same at 3.4 per cent and the unauthorised absence rate increased from 1.1 per cent in 2015/16 to 1.3 per cent in 2016/17. The unauthorised absence rate increased from 1.1 per cent in 2015/16 to 1.3 per cent in 2016/17, due to higher levels of unauthorised holidays. Authorised absence rates are similar to the previous year.
There is variation in overall and persistent absence rates across state-funded primary, secondary and special schools by region and local authority. The North East and Yorkshire and the Humber have the joint highest absence rate at 4.9%. Within the North East Middlesbrough schools had the highest number of persistent absentees.
