The Scottish Government

Up to 2002/03

2003/04

Attendance

participation in the programme of educational activities arranged by the school.

In addition to actual attendance within the school premises, it covered:

• work experience
• educational visits
• day and residential visits to outdoor centres
• college/consortium school study
• interviews and visits relating to further and/or higher education
• debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions etc. arranged by, or in conjunction with, the school
• activities in connection with psychological services
• school medical examinations off-site
• hospital tuition

Attendance

As previous, plus

• Study leave
• Receiving tuition via hospital or outreach teaching services.
• Medical and dental appointments
• Sickness with appropriate educational provision

Authorised absence

• sickness
• medical and dental treatment
• bereavement
• domestic circumstances relating to exceptional hardship at home
• no school within walking distance and no transport arrangements
• study leave
• religious observance
• family holidays where attendance is otherwise satisfactory
• meetings prior to, and in, court
• attendance at, or in connection with, a Child Care Review
• attendance at, or in connection with, a Children's Hearing
• weddings of immediate family
• certified debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions not arranged by, or in conjunction with, the school
• extended visits overseas to relativessanctioned, extended absence in relation to children of travelling families

Authorised absence

• sickness without education provision

- medical/dental now attendance

• bereavement
• short-term exceptional domestic circumstances
• lack of transport - including due to bad weather

- study leave now attendance

• religious observance
• family holidays in exceptional circumstances only
• meetings prior to and in court
• attendance at or in connection with a Children's Hearing or Care Review
• weddings of immediate family agreed debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions not arranged by or in conjunction with the school

- extended visits now outwith statistics

• sanctioned extended absence in relation to children of travelling families.

Unauthorised absence

• temporary exclusions arising from incidents in or out of class
• truancy, an application having been made to the education authority in relation to an attendance order
• truancy, an appeal having been made to the Sheriff in relation to an attendance order
• truancy, defined as unauthorised absence from school, for any period, as a result of premeditated or spontaneous action on the part of the pupil, parent or both
• family holidays where attendance is otherwise unsatisfactory
• unexplained absence

Unauthorised absence

- temp exclusions now separate category

• truancy (unauthorised absence from school for any period as a result of premeditated or spontaneous action on the part of pupil, parent or both)
• family holidays during term time, other than in exceptional circumstances.
• unexplained absence
• long-term exceptional domestic circumstances

Absence due to temporary exclusion

• Now categorised separately

Extended leave

recorded separately outwith the figures for attendance and absence, and includes circumstances such as:

• extended overseas educational trips not organised by the school
• short-term parental placement abroad
• family returning to its country of origin (to care for a relative, or for cultural reasons)