Attendance in education and early years settings 23 March 2020 to 21 July 2022

The data on Explore Education Statistics shows attendance in education settings since Monday 23 March 2020, and in early years settings since Thursday 16 April 2020. The summary explains the responses for a set time frame.

The data is collected from a daily education settings status form and a monthly local authority early years survey.

Primary data sources on infection, incidence, and COVID-19 cases overall are not shown in this publication but are available on the coronavirus in the UK dashboard, national COVID-19 surveillance reports and coronavirus infection survey pilot statistics.

Pupil absence in schools in England: Autumn Term 2021/22 statistics were published on 26 May 2022 presenting absence data collected via the school census covering the pandemic. That release is derived from pupil level data from which further analysis, such as the amount of time missed, can be derived.

Headline facts and figures – 2022

In this summary, the reference date refers to Thursday 21 July 2022. Based on term dates advertised by local authorities, schools in eleven of these local authorities were closed for the academic year. Schools in these local authorities have been removed from the analysis at national level, and have been included at local authority level.

The  response rate on 21 July was 13%, lower than the typical 27-36% seen over the last 2 months and around 70 – 87% in the peak pandemic period (September 2020 – April 2021). The low response rate is likely due to the approaching end of term. While analysis has shown no systematic bias in response patterns across areas and phases, the estimates are subject to greater levels of uncertainty, and care should be taken when interpreting them.

Open Rates

• Over 99.9% all state-funded schools were open on 21 Jul 2022, same on 7 Jul.

Pupil on site attendance 

• Attendance in all state-funded schools was adjusted to exclude year 11-13 pupils who are not in attendance because they are off-site for approved purposes. It shows attendance was 80.8% on 21 Jul (the last week of term for most schools), down from 86.9% on 7 Jul.

Workforce absence

• We estimate that 5.5% of teachers and school leaders were absent for any reason from open schools on 21 Jul, down from 8.0% on 7 Jul.
• We estimate that 5.1% of teaching assistants and other staff were absent for any reason from open schools on 21 Jul, down from 6.8% on 7 Jul.

Read more here.