Education

Rising severe school absences in London signal deeper societal challenges in education resilience

Monday, 3 November 2025 8:32AM UTC

Data reveals record-high levels of severe school absences across London, highlighting ongoing struggles with vulnerable pupils, mental health, and systemic support amidst improving overall attendance figures.

New Department for Education data reveals a troubling rise in severe school absences in London and across England during the 2024-25 academic year, even as overall attendance figures show some improvement. In London alone, 17,050 pupils—about 1.6% of students—were classified as severely absent, missing more than half of their school sessions across the autumn and spring terms. This figure marks the highest level recorded since data collection began in 2016-17 and is up slightly from 1.5% the previous year. Meanwhile, 17% of London students were persistently absent, defined as missing 10% or more of sessions, a marginal decrease from 17.2% in 2023-24.

Across England, severe absence reached 2.26% in the same period, rising from 2.14% the previous year and representing a continuation of an upward trend that contrasts sharply with pre-pandemic rates of around 0.81% in 2018-19. Despite this, the overall pupil absence rate declined slightly to 6.63%, the lowest since 2020-21, and persistent absence fell to 17.63% from 22.32% in 2021-22. Yet, both these measures remain significantly above pre-pandemic levels, indicating ongoing challenges in tackling pupil attendance.

A particularly worrying aspect of the rise in severe absence concerns children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), who are among the most vulnerable students due to complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The proportion of pupils with EHCPs missing over half of their classes rose from 6.55% in 2023-24 to 7.3% in 2024-25. School leaders have voiced serious concerns about this trend. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, highlighted that the increase in severe absence among children with the most complex SEND needs is alarming. Di'Iasio explained the difficulties schools face in improving attendance while grappling with intense financial pressures, staffing shortages, and limited access to specialist support, which likely contribute to the rise in absences.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), described the slight decline in persistent absence as positive but emphasised the need to address the root causes of absence beyond the school environment. He pointed to mental health challenges, social issues such as poverty, and deficiencies in the SEND system as critical factors driving severe and persistent absences. According to Whiteman, schools alone cannot overcome these barriers without broader societal and governmental interventions.

Government officials maintain that significant measures are being implemented to address these challenges. A Department for Education spokesperson highlighted recent progress, noting the biggest improvement in school attendance seen in a decade during the last academic year. Initiatives such as free breakfast clubs in all primary schools, attendance mentoring programmes, and earlier intervention strategies for children with special needs are part of the government’s approach to creating a more supportive and inclusive school system.

However, external evaluations indicate that progress remains uneven, especially for disadvantaged pupils who continue to experience disproportionately high absence rates. The charity Impetus analysed the latest data and warned that at the current rate, it could take over four years for persistent absence to return to pre-pandemic levels. Their report emphasised the urgent need for targeted support to prevent a prolonged crisis in attendance, particularly among disadvantaged children who face complex barriers to regular schooling.

Education leaders across England are calling for coordinated action among schools, local authorities, parents, and government bodies to address the intertwined issues of mental health, poverty, and SEND provision that underlie severe absence. While overall attendance improvements offer hope, the rise in severe absence—especially among vulnerable groups—presents a continuing challenge requiring sustained, multifaceted responses to ensure every child can access the education they need.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[4] (Barnet Post)
Paragraph 2 – ^[2] (Evening Standard), ^[3] (Evening Standard)
Paragraph 3 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[2] (Evening Standard), ^[3] (Evening Standard)
Paragraph 4 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[3] (Evening Standard)
Paragraph 5 – ^[1] (MyLondon)
Paragraph 6 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[2] (Evening Standard)
Paragraph 7 – ^[5] (Impetus)
Paragraph 8 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[4] (Barnet Post), ^[6] (Evening Standard)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.mylondon.news/news/uk-world-news/new-map-shows-startling-number-32791723 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/department-for-education-children-anne-longfield-dfe-government-b1254508.html - The Department for Education's latest data reveals an increase in the percentage of schoolchildren missing more than half of their classes, despite overall improvements in school attendance. Specifically, 2.26% of pupils were severely absent in the autumn and spring terms of 2024/25, up from 2.14% in 2023/24. This marks a significant rise from the pre-pandemic rate of 0.81% in 2018/19. However, the overall pupil absence rate decreased to 6.63% in the 2024/25 academic year, the lowest since 2020/21. Persistent absence also declined to 17.63%, down from 22.32% in 2021/22, yet it remains above the pre-pandemic level of 10.9%. The increase in severe absence is notably higher among children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), rising from 6.55% in 2023/24 to 7.3% in 2024/25. Education leaders express concern over these trends, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address the underlying causes of absenteeism, particularly for students with complex special educational needs and disabilities.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/department-for-education-england-bridget-phillipson-government-association-of-school-and-college-leaders-b1217844.html - Government statistics indicate a record number of pupils in England were 'severely absent' from school in the 2023/24 academic year. The Department for Education reports that 2.3% of pupils, equating to 171,269 students, missed at least half of their possible school sessions, up from 2.0% in the previous year. This is the highest number recorded since data collection began in 2006/07. In contrast, the pre-pandemic rate in 2018/19 was significantly lower, at 0.81%. The overall absence rate for the same period was 6.63%, marking the lowest rate since 2020/21. Persistent absence, defined as missing 10% or more of school sessions, decreased to 17.63% from 22.32% in 2021/22 but remains above the pre-pandemic level of 10.9%. The increase in severe absence is particularly concerning for students with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with the percentage rising from 6.55% in 2023/24 to 7.3% in 2024/25. Education leaders are calling for targeted interventions to address the underlying causes of absenteeism, especially for students with complex special educational needs and disabilities.
https://barnetpost.co.uk/2025/04/17/record-level-of-severely-absent-pupils-in-london/ - New figures from the Department for Education reveal a record level of 'severely absent' pupils in London during the 2023-24 academic year. The rate of pupils missing at least half of their possible school sessions in London was 1.5%, up from 1.4% the previous year. This marks the highest rate since records began in the 2006-07 academic year. Across England, the rate of severely absent students reached 2.3%, the highest level on record. Despite improvements in overall attendance, the increase in severe absence remains a significant concern. Education leaders emphasize the need for collaborative efforts among parents, government, schools, and other agencies to address this issue effectively.
https://www.impetus.org.uk/news-and-views/attendance-oct2025-press-release - Impetus, a charity focused on improving the lives of disadvantaged young people, has analysed the latest pupil absence statistics for the 2024/25 academic year. The data shows that persistent school absence in England remains high, with 17.63% of pupils missing at least 10% of school sessions, significantly above the pre-pandemic level of 10.9%. The analysis suggests that at the current rate of improvement, it will take over four years for persistent absence to return to pre-pandemic levels. The report highlights that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are disproportionately affected, with higher rates of persistent absence and slower rates of improvement post-pandemic. The charity calls for urgent action to address this prolonged crisis, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to support these students.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/england-dfe-south-east-government-department-for-education-b1241929.html - Government figures indicate a rise in the number of children in England missing at least half of their classes, with nearly 150,000 pupils affected in the autumn term of 2024/25. The Department for Education reports that 2.04% of pupils were 'severely absent' during this period, up from 1.97% in the previous year. This is the highest rate for an autumn term since data collection began in 2016/17. The overall pupil absence rate across the 2024/25 academic year was 6.9%, down from 7.2% the previous year. Persistent absence, defined as missing 10% or more of school sessions, decreased to 17.79% from 19.44% in 2023/24 but remains higher than the pre-pandemic level of 13.14% in 2019. The data also shows that the unauthorised holiday rate in autumn 2024 was 0.47%, broadly unchanged from the previous year despite increased fines for unauthorised absences. Education leaders express concern over these trends and call for targeted interventions to address the underlying causes of absenteeism.
https://www.educationreport.co.uk/2025/10/23/severe-pupil-absence-rises-despite-overall-improvement-in-attendance/ - Official statistics from the Department for Education reveal that the proportion of pupils missing at least half of all school sessions rose in the autumn and spring terms of 2024/25, despite an overall improvement in attendance. Severe absence increased to 2.26%, up from 2.14% the previous year. This continues a post-pandemic trend of growth in the number of pupils classified as severely absent. In contrast, the overall absence rate fell to 6.63%, down from 6.93% in the previous year. Persistent absence, defined as missing 10% or more of sessions, also declined to 17.63% from 19.23%. However, both measures remain above pre-pandemic levels. The data indicates that illness accounted for just over half of all absences, making up 3.31% of possible sessions in autumn 2024/25 and 3.47% in spring 2024/25. Education leaders express concern over these trends and emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address the underlying causes of absenteeism.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative presents recent data on severe school absences in London, with figures from the 2024-25 academic year. The earliest known publication date of similar content is 20 March 2025, when The Standard reported on record numbers of severely absent pupils in England. ([standard.co.uk](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/department-for-education-england-bridget-phillipson-government-association-of-school-and-college-leaders-b1217844.html?utm_source=openai)) The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk](https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2024-25-autumn-and-spring-term?utm_source=openai)) Additionally, the narrative includes a reference map with links to other articles, indicating that the content has been republished across multiple outlets. This suggests that the narrative may have been republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The presence of a press release indicates that the narrative is based on official data, which typically warrants a high freshness score. However, the recycling of older material and republishing across multiple outlets may affect the overall freshness. The earliest known publication date of similar content is 20 March 2025. ([standard.co.uk](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/department-for-education-england-bridget-phillipson-government-association-of-school-and-college-leaders-b1217844.html?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes from individuals such as Pepe Di'Iasio and Paul Whiteman. A search for the earliest known usage of these quotes reveals that they have been used in earlier material, indicating potential reuse. The wording of the quotes varies slightly in different sources, suggesting possible paraphrasing or adaptation. No online matches were found for some of the quotes, raising the possibility of original or exclusive content. However, the reuse of quotes from earlier material and variations in wording may affect the originality of the content.

Source reliability

Score: 6

Notes: The narrative originates from MyLondon, a local news outlet. While it is a known source, it may not have the same level of reputation as national outlets like the BBC or Reuters. The presence of a press release indicates that the narrative is based on official data, which typically warrants a high reliability score. However, the reliance on a single source and the potential for republishing across multiple outlets may affect the overall reliability.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative presents data on severe school absences in London, with figures from the 2024-25 academic year. The data aligns with official Department for Education statistics, indicating a rise in severe absences. The inclusion of quotes from education leaders adds credibility to the claims. However, the reliance on a single source and the potential for republishing across multiple outlets may affect the overall plausibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative presents recent data on severe school absences in London, with figures from the 2024-25 academic year. While the data aligns with official Department for Education statistics, the reliance on a single source and the potential for republishing across multiple outlets may affect the overall reliability and freshness of the content. The reuse of quotes from earlier material and variations in wording suggest potential issues with originality. Given these factors, the overall assessment is 'OPEN' with a medium confidence level.

School attendance
London
Education policy