As many as 300,000 children aged five to 15 were missing from education in England last year, a report from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has found.
The figures – which compare GP registrations with school enrolment data – mark a 40% increase in unaccounted absences since 2017.
According to the EPI, an estimated 400,000 children are not in school, a 50% increase in seven years. Of these, nearly 95,000 are registered for home education – double the number from 2017.
More than 50,000 students were also found to have left the state education system by Year 11, with no clear records explaining their exits.
Associate director at EPI Whitney Crenna-Jennings said: “Many thousands of children are missing or go missing from education in England – this is a critical issue that demands our attention.”
The data shows that dropouts peak in Year 10, just before students take their GCSEs, making up about a fifth of all exits.
The report also states that vulnerable groups, particularly teenagers, are disproportionately affected.
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Ms Crenna-Jennings added: “These children, often the most vulnerable, face increased risks of harm and poor outcomes.
“The government must work across departments and data systems to ensure every child receives their legal entitlement to education.”
The EPI says schools should document reasons for de-registering students to improve oversight and prevent illegal exclusions.
Campaigners had previously welcomed the register for missing children in the King’s Speech, but this is still not compulsory.
The EPI also recommends that there is a mandatory register by integrating data from education, health and other administrative data sources.
Data from the report uses GP registrations as there is currently no data source able to provide a definitive number of children in England.
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The new data suggests that better links between different sectors such as education, health, and local authorities are needed to track vulnerable children better.
The report also says more research is needed to develop interventions for preventing disengagement and support for the missing children.
