School absence calculator every parent needs as new school attendance rule rolls out across England next month

A NEW attendance rule is set to be rolled out across the UK from September as the government looks to crackdown on pupil absences. It comes as the number of children missing days of school remains above pre-pandemic levels. School children’s attendance rates have been rising much slower than pre-pandemic rates Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial From September, schools across England will now be given targets to improve pupil attendance rates. The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that every state school in England will be given pupil attendance targets. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! But with one in five pupils continuing to miss at least 10 per cent of schooling, what does this really mean in terms of the number of days missed? According to a school attendance calculator, missing 10 per cent of the year equates to around 19 days missed, or almost four school weeks. Meanwhile, if a student has 95% attendance, it means a child has been present for 95 out of every 100 possible school days or sessions. Across a typical 190-day school year, 95% attendance is about 9.5 days missed, or roughly 19 sessions. As the overall attendance is 93 per cent for the 2025/26 academic year, this means the average number of school days missed is 13. This is around two-and-a-half weeks of schooling. Most read in The Sun It also roughly equates to an average of 26 lessons missed by children every academic year. Schools have already been told it is mandatory to share their attendance records with the DfE in an effort to lower absence rates. Educational institutions have also been encouraged to offer more activities on Fridays, to improve end-of-the-week attendance. Other crackdown measures include fixed penalty notices for unauthorised pupil absences, in place since 2013. Parents can be charged a now-£80 fine per child (rising to £160 if not paid within 21 days) by their local authority if a valid reason for their absence is not given. Three or more unauthorised absences within three years may even result in a court order. School absence percentages versus days missed 100% – 0 days missed 99.7% – 0.5 days missed 99.5% – 1 day missed 99.2% – 1.5 days missed 98.9% – 2 days missed 98.7% – 2.5 days missed 98.4% – 3 days missed 98.2% – 3.5 days missed 97.9% – 4 days missed 97.6% – 4.5 days missed 97.4% – 5 days missed 97.1% – 5.5 days missed 96.8% – 6 days missed 96.6% – 6.5 days missed 96.3% – 7 days missed 96.1% – 7.5 days missed 95.8% – 8 days missed 95.5% – 8.5 days missed 95.3% – 9 days missed 95% – 9.5 days missed 94.7% – 10 days missed 94.5% – 10.5 days missed 94.2% – 11 days missed 93.9% – 11.5 days missed 93.7% – 12 days missed 93.4% – 12.5 days missed 93.2% – 13 days missed 92.9% – 13.5 days missed 92.6% – 14 days missed 92.4% – 14.5 days missed 92.1% – 15 days missed 91.8% – 15.5 days missed 91.6% – 16 days missed 91.3% – 16.5 days missed 91.1% – 17 days missed 90.8% – 17.5 days missed 90.5% – 18 days missed 90.3% – 18.5 days missed 90% – 19 days missed Comment now