Rise in Isle of Wight children missing at least half their lessons

Data from the Department for Education shows severe absence rates have risen across England.

On the Isle of Wight, 2.5 per cent of pupils were severely absent in the spring term last year – up significantly from 0.9 per cent in 2018-19.

Nationally, severe absence during the spring term have more than doubled from 0.8 per cent to 2.2 per cent over the past five years.

Meanwhile, London was the only region where the rate was below two per cent, with 1.4 per cent of children missing school for prolonged periods of time.

This means pupils missed at least half of their school sessions. Each day has two sessions, morning and afternoon.

The figures also show authorised absences due to illness was the main reason for severe absence across the country.

Persistent absence – children missing at least ten per cent of their lessons – has also increased, with the rate rising to 21.5 per cent nationally last spring.

Additionally, the overall national absence rate – which includes authorised and unauthorised punctual, persistent and severe absences – has increased from 4.8 per cent to 7.2 per cent in the past five years.