One in five pupils in England were persistently absent in past school year

Covid and other illnesses main reasons for attendance drop compared with pre-pandemic, according to DfE figures

One in five pupils in England were classed as persistently absent during the last school year, with Covid and other illnesses the biggest contributors to classroom absence rates among children soaring compared with pre-pandemic years.

The figures from the Department for Education (DfE) showed the aftermath of the Covid pandemic continued to significantly affect state school attendance into the summer of 2022. The national absence rate of 7.6% was well above the rates of 4%-5% seen before the pandemic.