Cheltenham School Absence
Pupil absence for Gloucestershire against the South West and England since 2012/13, and for each state school in the Cheltenham area.
- 6.7% of sessions missed in Gloucestershire, 2024/25
- 17.2% persistently absent
- 2.4% severely absent
- 60 state schools
Cheltenham School Absence
How often pupils miss school, from the Department for Education’s official figures. For each school’s Ofsted history, see our Cheltenham schools list.
Every state school records whether each pupil is in class for the morning and afternoon sessions, and the Department for Education publishes the totals. In 2024/25, pupils at Gloucestershire's state schools missed 6.7% of their sessions, against 6.8% across England. Of 81,695 pupil enrolments in the county, 14,036 (17.2%) were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten, and 1,923 (2.4%) were severely absent, missing at least half. Before the pandemic, in 2018/19, those figures were 7,824 (10.2%) and 590 (0.8%).
The figures for the autumn and spring terms of 2025/26 came out in October 2026: Gloucestershire's pupils missed 6.5% of sessions and 16.6% were persistently absent, against 6.6% and 17.5% for England. The tables below compare the county with the South West and England, then show each of the 60 state schools in the Cheltenham area.
Gloucestershire, the South West and England
| Period | Area | Sessions Missed | Persistently Absent | Severely Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 full year | Gloucestershire | 6.7% | 17.2% | 2.4% |
| 2024/25 full year | South West | 7.1% | 18.3% | 2.8% |
| 2024/25 full year | England | 6.8% | 18.1% | 2.4% |
| 2025/26 autumn and spring | Gloucestershire | 6.5% | 16.6% | 2.3% |
| 2025/26 autumn and spring | South West | 6.9% | 17.8% | 2.7% |
| 2025/26 autumn and spring | England | 6.6% | 17.5% | 2.3% |
- Key: Sessions missed share of morning and afternoon sessions missed, Persistently absent share of pupils missing 10% or more of sessions, Severely absent share of pupils missing 50% or more
Sessions Missed Each Year
Persistently Absent Pupils Each Year
Severely Absent Pupils Each Year
Gloucestershire Year by Year
| School Year | Pupils | Sessions Missed | Persistently Absent | Pupils Persistently Absent | Severely Absent | Pupils Severely Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 81,695 | 6.7% | 17.2% | 14,036 | 2.4% | 1,923 |
| 2023/24 | 82,391 | 7.1% | 19.4% | 15,986 | 2.3% | 1,874 |
| 2022/23 | 80,780 | 7.2% | 20.0% | 16,155 | 2.0% | 1,622 |
| 2021/22 | 79,599 | 7.4% | 21.4% | 17,046 | 1.7% | 1,321 |
| 2020/21 | 78,563 | 4.2% | 10.7% | 8,415 | 0.9% | 711 |
| 2018/19 | 76,714 | 4.5% | 10.2% | 7,824 | 0.8% | 590 |
| 2017/18 | 75,897 | 4.8% | 10.9% | 8,260 | 0.7% | 518 |
| 2016/17 | 74,462 | 4.7% | 10.9% | 8,116 | 0.6% | 477 |
| 2015/16 | 73,287 | 4.6% | 10.4% | 7,601 | 0.7% | 482 |
| 2014/15 | 72,409 | 4.7% | 11.2% | 8,105 | 0.7% | 491 |
| 2013/14 | 71,987 | 4.6% | 11.0% | 7,887 | 0.6% | 411 |
| 2012/13 | 71,433 | 5.3% | 13.6% | 9,716 | 0.6% | 411 |
- Key: Pupils enrolments of pupils aged 5 to 15 at Gloucestershire’s state primary, secondary and special schools during the year
By Phase, 2024/25
| Phase | Area | Sessions Missed | Persistently Absent | Severely Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Gloucestershire | 5.1% | 11.9% | 0.9% |
| Primary | South West | 5.1% | 12.0% | 1.0% |
| Primary | England | 5.2% | 13.0% | 0.9% |
| Secondary | Gloucestershire | 8.3% | 22.5% | 3.8% |
| Secondary | South West | 9.1% | 24.8% | 4.7% |
| Secondary | England | 8.4% | 23.4% | 3.9% |
| Special | Gloucestershire | 11.8% | 32.4% | 5.4% |
| Special | South West | 13.0% | 34.9% | 7.6% |
| Special | England | 12.8% | 35.3% | 6.9% |
Absence at Each School
Figures for each state school in the GL50–GL54 area, for the 2024/25 school year and for the autumn and spring terms of 2025/26. The Department for Education's absence figures cover state-funded primary, secondary and special schools, so independent schools, the hospital education service and colleges aren't listed. Select a school's name for its own page, with its Ofsted history and absence.
| Name | Phase | Pupils | Missed 2024/25 | Persistent 2024/25 | Severe 2024/25 | Missed 2025/26 | Persistent 2025/26 | Severe 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Saints' Academy, Cheltenham | Secondary | 983 | 9.7% | 30.4% | 5.1% | 8.9% | 26.3% | 4.3% |
| Andoversford Primary School | Primary | 67 | 3.5% | 4.5% | 0.0% | 2.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Balcarras School | Secondary | 978 | 5.0% | 9.8% | 1.8% | 5.3% | 9.9% | 1.5% |
| Battledown School | Not applicable | 69 | 7.6% | 24.6% | 0.0% | 7.4% | 23.1% | 1.5% |
| Belmont School | Not applicable | 183 | 8.3% | 20.2% | 2.7% | 9.6% | 23.8% | 5.0% |
| Benhall Infant School | Primary | 125 | 5.0% | 10.4% | 0.8% | 4.4% | 10.7% | 0.0% |
| Bettridge School | Not applicable | 114 | 12.1% | 37.7% | 1.8% | 14.0% | 43.4% | 6.6% |
| Bishops Cleeve Primary Academy | Primary | 562 | 6.1% | 16.5% | 1.1% | 5.6% | 13.1% | 1.3% |
| Bourton-on-the-Water Primary School | Primary | 254 | 5.4% | 13.4% | 1.2% | 5.5% | 11.1% | 2.0% |
| Charlton Kings Infants' School | Primary | 183 | 2.5% | 2.7% | 0.0% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 0.5% |
| Charlton Kings Junior School | Primary | 378 | 3.0% | 3.2% | 0.5% | 3.3% | 5.0% | 0.3% |
| Cheltenham Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre | Secondary | 1,521 | 9.6% | 27.8% | 4.4% | 8.3% | 26.4% | 3.5% |
| Christ Church CofE Primary School | Primary | 192 | 3.4% | 4.7% | 0.5% | 3.6% | 4.8% | 0.0% |
| Cleeve School | Secondary | 1,533 | 7.7% | 20.9% | 3.6% | 7.6% | 19.5% | 2.9% |
| Coberley Church of England Primary School | Primary | 71 | 3.8% | 8.5% | 0.0% | 5.3% | 13.4% | 0.0% |
| Cold Aston Church of England Primary School | Primary | 58 | 3.7% | 3.4% | 1.7% | 3.4% | 7.9% | 0.0% |
| Dunalley Primary School | Primary | 371 | 3.9% | 6.2% | 0.3% | 4.1% | 9.3% | 1.6% |
| Gardners Lane Primary School | Primary | 267 | 7.8% | 25.1% | 1.5% | 7.5% | 24.0% | 1.6% |
| Glenfall Community Primary School | Primary | 182 | 4.0% | 9.9% | 0.5% | 3.2% | 6.2% | 0.0% |
| Gloucester Road Primary School | Primary | 187 | 4.8% | 9.1% | 0.5% | 4.9% | 12.2% | 0.6% |
| Gotherington Primary School | Primary | 176 | 3.2% | 5.1% | 0.6% | 3.0% | 7.0% | 0.0% |
| Grangefield Primary School | Primary | 365 | 4.9% | 10.4% | 0.5% | 4.6% | 9.7% | 0.6% |
| Greatfield Park Primary School | Primary | 174 | 4.3% | 9.8% | 1.1% | 4.3% | 12.2% | 1.7% |
| Gretton Primary School | Primary | 83 | 5.5% | 10.8% | 0.0% | 5.0% | 12.5% | 0.0% |
| Hesters Way Primary School | Primary | 168 | 7.5% | 27.4% | 0.6% | 5.5% | 17.7% | 1.9% |
| Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School | Primary | 179 | 3.8% | 3.9% | 1.1% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 1.1% |
| Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School | Primary | 186 | 4.0% | 8.6% | 0.5% | 4.9% | 12.0% | 0.6% |
| Isbourne Valley School | Primary | 75 | 3.5% | 10.7% | 0.0% | 3.1% | 7.0% | 0.0% |
| Lakeside Primary School | Primary | 483 | 4.5% | 10.8% | 0.8% | 3.5% | 5.8% | 0.2% |
| Leckhampton Church of England Primary School | Primary | 543 | 3.1% | 3.1% | 0.2% | 3.3% | 4.8% | 0.2% |
| Lift Crescent View | Not applicable | 69 | 23.0% | 59.4% | 15.9% | 22.3% | 60.3% | 14.3% |
| Naunton Park Primary School | Primary | 364 | 3.6% | 5.8% | 0.0% | 3.5% | 4.9% | 0.3% |
| Northleach Church of England Primary School | Primary | 101 | 4.5% | 6.9% | 2.0% | 3.8% | 7.0% | 0.0% |
| Oakwood Primary School | Primary | 317 | 9.8% | 35.6% | 1.3% | 10.6% | 34.8% | 3.4% |
| Pate's Grammar School | Secondary | 762 | 4.5% | 13.3% | 0.5% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 0.1% |
| Pittville School | Secondary | 892 | 10.2% | 27.5% | 6.5% | 10.5% | 28.2% | 6.7% |
| Prestbury St Mary's Church of England Junior School | Primary | 275 | 4.5% | 10.5% | 0.7% | 3.8% | 9.4% | 0.4% |
| Rowanfield Infant School | Primary | 180 | 7.4% | 17.8% | 3.3% | 6.9% | 21.6% | 3.7% |
| Rowanfield Junior School | Primary | 358 | 5.7% | 16.8% | 0.8% | 5.9% | 17.2% | 1.1% |
| Sherborne Church of England Primary School | Primary | 49 | 6.4% | 12.2% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Shurdington Church of England Primary School | Primary | 180 | 4.8% | 11.1% | 0.6% | 4.6% | 10.5% | 1.1% |
| Springbank Primary Academy | Primary | 350 | 5.9% | 15.1% | 1.1% | 6.5% | 20.0% | 1.4% |
| St Andrew's Church of England Primary School | Primary | 41 | 4.6% | 12.2% | 0.0% | 2.9% | 8.5% | 0.0% |
| St James' Church of England Primary School | Primary | 363 | 4.4% | 8.5% | 1.1% | 4.1% | 10.2% | 0.8% |
| St John's Church of England Primary School | Primary | 184 | 6.7% | 14.1% | 4.3% | 6.5% | 14.8% | 2.8% |
| St Mark's Church of England Junior School | Primary | 244 | 4.2% | 8.2% | 0.8% | 3.4% | 6.2% | 0.4% |
| St Mary's Church of England Infant School | Primary | 120 | 4.7% | 9.2% | 0.8% | 5.4% | 13.3% | 0.8% |
| St Thomas More Catholic Primary School | Primary | 176 | 6.5% | 17.0% | 3.4% | 5.5% | 11.2% | 3.1% |
| Stow-on-the-Wold Primary School | Primary | 88 | 5.9% | 15.9% | 1.1% | 5.2% | 9.9% | 3.7% |
| Swell Church of England Primary School | Primary | 31 | 7.0% | 22.6% | 3.2% | 6.3% | 21.4% | 0.0% |
| Swindon Village Primary School | Primary | 369 | 4.4% | 6.8% | 0.8% | 3.8% | 4.7% | 0.6% |
| Temple Guiting Church of England School | Primary | 87 | 3.9% | 8.0% | 0.0% | 3.8% | 5.6% | 0.0% |
| The Catholic School of Saint Gregory the Great | Primary | 366 | 5.1% | 10.7% | 0.8% | 4.4% | 10.6% | 0.0% |
| The Cotswold Academy | Secondary | 1,197 | 7.0% | 17.7% | 2.0% | 7.1% | 17.3% | 2.5% |
| The High School Leckhampton | Secondary | 588 | 5.2% | 10.2% | 1.0% | 5.5% | 11.9% | 1.6% |
| The Rissington School | Primary | 228 | 4.1% | 11.4% | 0.0% | 4.2% | 7.5% | 0.9% |
| Warden Hill Primary School | Primary | 366 | 2.8% | 2.7% | 0.3% | 2.6% | 4.3% | 0.0% |
| Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Primary School | Primary | 250 | 6.1% | 13.2% | 2.8% | 4.7% | 8.1% | 1.6% |
| Winchcombe School | Secondary | 542 | 9.8% | 28.0% | 4.6% | 8.7% | 25.8% | 4.0% |
| Woodmancote School | Primary | 364 | 4.9% | 9.3% | 1.1% | 3.8% | 8.0% | 0.3% |
- Key: Pupils pupil enrolments during the full school year, Missed share of sessions missed, Persistent share of pupils missing 10% or more, Severe share of pupils missing 50% or more. The second set of figures covers the autumn and spring terms only
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do Persistent and Severe Absence Mean?
- A school day has two sessions, morning and afternoon. A pupil is persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of their possible sessions, about one day a fortnight, and severely absent if they miss 50% or more.
- The figures count all absence, authorised (such as illness or medical appointments) and unauthorised (such as an unapproved holiday or an unexplained absence). They cover pupils aged 5 to 15 at state-funded primary, secondary and special schools.
- The Department for Education counts pupil enrolments rather than pupils, so a child who moved school during the year is counted at each school. Across England, enrolments are about 4% higher than the number of pupils.
Why Is There No Figure for 2019/20?
- The Department for Education cancelled its 2019/20 absence releases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- From 2020/21 until April 2022, schools recorded sessions that pupils couldn't attend because of COVID-19 rules under a separate code that isn't counted as absence, so take care comparing those years with others.
Which Figures Should I Compare?
- The full school year figures, published each March, are the definitive ones. The autumn and spring term figures, published each October, come out sooner but cover only part of the year, when winter illness is at its height, so the Department for Education treats them as an early indication.
- A school's absence depends on its pupils as well as the school, for example on how many have long-term health conditions or special educational needs, so the figures are a starting point for questions rather than a ranking. Small schools' percentages can move a lot from one year to the next because of a handful of pupils.
About This Data
Absence figures from the Department for Education's Pupil absence in schools in England (Academic year 2024/25 and autumn and spring term 2025/26), published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Last updated 13 November 2026, checked monthly.