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1. Sources
1.1 The information in this bulletin is derived from the September 1997 and 1998 School Censuses. The figures for 1997 are final and therefore may differ from provisional figures released previously.
2. Statistical Notes
2.1 Coverage and Timing
2.1.1 The School Census covers all schools in Scotland (local authority, grant-aided, independent and opted-out). Where a school had more than one department, for example a secondary school with a primary department, these were counted as separate schools.
2.1 .2 Schools which provide education predominantly for children with special educational needs often have pupils from a wide age range and the data collected from this sector reflects this. Where pupils attend a ‘special unit’ attached to a mainstream school, they are usually included in the figures for the mainstream school. In September 1998, there were 10 ‘special units’, accounting for 139 pupils, which provided data independently of their mainstream schools. The units were therefore included separately in the figures for the special sector. Pupils attending these units were previously included in the figures for mainstream schools.
2.1 .3 Pupils who are withdrawn from school, for example, because of long term illness, are not included in the School Census returns. Information on such pupils is collected on aggregate returns made by the education authorities. At September 1998, 857 pupils were receiving education outwith of schools. Education authorities also provide returns on teaching staff not working in schools (for example, those employed centrally in the authority and those seconded to work on national initiatives). At September 1998, 2,150 teachers were employed centrally in Scotland.
2.1 .4 Information on all school leavers is collected on two statistical returns, completed by individual schools; one covering first term leavers (LSL1) from which S5 voluntary
staying-on-rates are calculated, the second covering second and third term leavers LSL2). These returns cover all secondary and special schools in the local authority, grant-aided and independent sectors.
2.2 Questionnaire content
2.2.1 Schools complete forms appropriate to the level of education (primary, secondary or special) which they offer. Basic information on the school, pupil and teacher numbers is collected annually. For teachers who are at school on a part-time basis, a full-time equivalence (FTE) is also calculated. This is supplemented by more detailed information, including that on class size, when it is required by the education system. Since 1996, independent schools have completed the same form as other sectors. Some independent schools which operated more than one department were unable to estimate the split of staff time between these. In such cases, the staff were allocated to the main sector. Up until 1995, only basic summary statistics were collected for independent schools.
2.2.2 The content of each School Census is considered each year in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Statistical Information (ACSI) working group on schools. This group includes representatives from education authorities, teaching unions, headteachers associations, the Scottish Council for Independent Schools, as well as statisticians and policy administrators from the Scottish Executive. The committee is bound by the Government Statistical Service’s Code of Practice, which restricts the department to collect only the information that is required at a level which is fit for purpose, whilst always trying to minimise the burden on data providers.
2.3 Collection methods
The information required to complete the September 1998 School Census was collected via three main methods:
on paper forms, according to the questionnaire content described above;
electronically from the Education Computer Support Unit (ECSU), on behalf
of the local authority primary and secondary schools in the former Strathclyde Local Authority;
electronically from 100 secondary schools and a small number of primary schools, as part of the National Management Information System (NMIS) Project.
2.3.2 At the heart of the NMIS Project is a Data Interchange Agreement (DIA) which specifies the data items to be exchanged between the key partners in the education system – SQA, the Scottish Executive, Local Authorities and the schools themselves. The DIA is very extensive and covers a far wider range of information than that which is required for the School Census. The NMIS data exchanged is usually at an individual pupil or teacher level and allows a far greater range of analyses to be performed than previously available.
2.3.3 In 1999-2000, nearly all secondary schools and several hundred primary schools will be participating via NMIS. These schools will not be required to complete School Census or related forms.
2.4 Response rates
2.4.1 The response rate for 1998 was almost 100 per cent; figures for 1998 include estimates for 2 schools.
3. Definitions
3.1 Unless otherwise indicated, tables in this bulletin cover publicly funded (that is, local authority, grant-aided and opted-out) schools only.
3.2 Where numbers of pupils/students are given, these relate to pupils based at the school. Pupils/students who are attending the school but are based at another centre (for example, students from a Further Education College who are taking some classes at a school) are not included.
3.3 Adults are those pupils/students aged 19 or over. Adults attending secondary schools are defined as those attending for education courses during the day only and may be taught with other pupils of that school. Figures on the number of adults attending evening classes may be found in the SEED Statistical Bulletin, Edn/H1 series, covering Community Education.
3.4 Pupil/teacher ratios are calculated using pupil numbers and teacher full-time quivalences in primary and secondary schools. They give no indication as to the number of pupils each teacher is teaching at any one time.
3.5 A class is:
in primary schools, a group of pupils normally supervised by one teacher. The group may occasionally be supervised by more than one teacher, for example, when pupils are receiving learning support from a teacher who is not the class teacher.
in secondary schools, a group of pupils who are taught a subject together. This is sometimes described as a teaching group or section. The pupils may not be from the same stage (for example, S5 and S6 pupils studying for Higher Grade). The class may have more than one teacher, for example, if team teaching or learning support is involved.
3.6 Non-teaching classroom staff are staff on the normal staffing complement of a primary schools who are working in mainstream classes. They include contracted classroom staff, those employed under the Early Intervention Programme, Special Educational Needs assistants who are assisting the whole class, nursery nurses etc.
3.7 A composite class is a class of pupils from two consecutive stages, multi-stage composites include pupils from more than two consecutive stages. In 1998, there were a small number of multi-stage composites, mostly in the very smallest primary schools. Mainstream classes do not include the small number of classes for pupils with learning difficulties.
3.8 Age of pupils is as at 31 December.
3.9 S5 stage staying on rates are based on S3 pupils 2 years earlier and S6 rates on S3 pupils 3 years earlier. The voluntary staying on rates exclude pupils who leave school on reaching the school leaving age at the end of the first term.
3.10 At September 1998 there were seven grant-aided special schools, commonly known as National Centres, in Scotland. They are:
City of Edinburgh:
Donaldson’s College;
Royal Blind School;
Harmeny School;
North Lanarkshire:
The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairment;
Glasgow City:
East Park;
South Lanarkshire:
Stanmore House School;
Renfrewshire:
Corseford Residential School.
4. Rounding
5. Unpublished tables
5.1 Ad-hoc and unpublished tables (for example, by local authority) are available on request. Unpublished tables including independent schools are also available on request.
6. Symbols
6.1 The following symbols are used:
. . = not available
- = nil
* = not applicable
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