Unauthorised absences in Bromley primary schools

In 2024, the spring term began the same week as New Year’s Day, and this was the week with the highest number of absences since the start of this academic year.

The data shows absences from the week commencing September 11, 2023, through to February 5, 2024.

In Bromley’s primary schools, the week with the highest number of unauthorised absences was the week commencing January 1, 2024, when the rate was 2.7 per cent.

The week with the next highest rate of unauthorised absences was the week of October 16, 2023, with a rate of 1.83 per cent.

This was closely followed by the week of October 9, 2023, when the unauthorised absence rate was 1.68 per cent.

On the other hand, the week with the lowest rate of unauthorised absences was during the week commencing November 6, 2023, when the rate was 0.80 per cent.

The next weeks with a low rate of unauthorised absences were the weeks commencing October 2, 2023, and November 13, 2023, both with rates of 0.85 per cent.

These figures are automatically submitted to the Department of Education (DfE) by participating schools.

The figures also relate to the attendance of pupils in state-funded primary, secondary, and special schools in England for the current academic year (2023/24) from September 11 to February 9, 2024.

An unauthorised absence refers to a child's absence from school without proper permission or justification, which can result in penalties, such as fines.

There are many reasons why parents might take their children out of school in the middle of the school year, with one being to avoid peak holiday costs.