• Schools are listed alphabetically by education authority. Schools listed are those that were open in September 1998. Schools which closed at the end of the 1997/98 session, and for which data are available, are included in the education authority figures. A few schools which have closed have, however, been unable to provide data. Independent and special schools are not listed. Grant-aided and self-governing schools are listed at the end of this section.
• In cases where two schools in the same education authority have identical names, the school name is followed by the city, town or island, sufficient to distinguish the schools concerned. The city, town or island is not shown in other cases.
• Almost all secondary schools offer education from S1-S6. Where this does not apply, the stages offered are printed after the school name.
• This part of the report provides information about attendance, authorised absence and unauthorised absence for all pupils in primary schools and secondary schools in each education authority.
• For each education authority, the information shows for session 1997/98 only:

1. percentage attendance;

2. percentage authorised absence;

3. percentage unauthorised absence;

4. average number of half days authorised absence for each pupil;

5. average number of half days unauthorised absence for each pupil;

6. the number of primary and secondary schools in that authority where the percentage attendance lies within a given range;

7. the percentage range across primary schools for authorised and unauthorised absence;

8. the percentage range across secondary schools for authorised and unauthorised absence.

• For each school, the information shows for sessions 1995/96, 1996/97 and 1997/98:

1. percentage authorised absence;

2. percentage unauthorised absence.

• For each school, the information shows for session 1997/98:

1. average number of half days authorised absence for each pupil;

2. average number of half days unauthorised absence for each pupil.

• The school roll at September 1997 is shown immediately after the school name. Secondary school roll figures exclude pupils in S6.
• Education authority and national averages are shown on the first page of information for each authority and at the foot of each education authority list.
• Authorised and unauthorised absence rates are shown as percentages of total possible attendance for each school.
• The percentage figures have been rounded for clarity of presentation. For example, in a school with unauthorised absence of 0.4%, it would be given as 0%. The average number of half days unauthorised absence would be 0.4%x 380 which is 1.52half days. This would be given as two half days of unauthorised absence.
• Two asterisks (**) are printed in the report in place of figures which could be misleading. In most cases, this shows that figures are based on very small numbers (more than 0 but fewer than 5). Asterisks may also be used in place of figures where the school is newly opened or merged.