PROVISIONAL ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE RESULTS 2000-01
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The Scottish Executive
Media and Communications Group
News Release
A Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication
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St Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Telephone: 0131-244 1111
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13 December 2001
PROVISIONAL ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE RESULTS 2000-01
The provisional national figures from the latest annual survey
of attendance & absence, for the school year 2000-01, are published today
by the Scottish Executive Education Department. More detailed figures will be
available in the New Year. Minor amendments may be applied to the figures presented
here once final information is available.
These results have been calculated using information collected
in Autumn 2001 from all education authorities in Scotland for the survey of
attendance & absence. This news release updates the figures published for
the school year 1999-00 in the publication Attendance and Absence in Scottish
Schools 1997/98 to 1999/00.
The main findings are:
- In 2000-01, primary pupils missed 5.02% of school sessions due to authorised
absence and 0.35% of sessions due to unauthorised absence.
- In 2000-01, secondary pupils missed 9.83% of school sessions due to authorised
absence and and 1.54% of sessions due to unauthorised absence.
- The 2000-01 absence rates represent a slight increase from the 1999-2000
figures.
TABLES
Table 1 - Attendance and Absence
in Publicly Funded Schools in Scotland: percentage of authorised and unauthorised
absence and average number of half-days absence per pupil, by sector, 1999-00
and 2000-01.
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS
- Results of the annual Survey of Attendance & Absence have been published
in previous years by HM Inspectors of Schools. This is the first time such
results have been published under the banner of National Statistics.
- Scottish Office Circulars 1/95 and 10/95 gave specific guidance to schools
and education authorities on the categorisation of attendance and absence.
Attendance was defined as:
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.
Authorised absence was defined as:
- 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 relatives;
- sanctioned, extended absence in relation to children of travelling families.
Unauthorised absence was defined as:
- 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;
- family holidays where attendance is otherwise unsatisfactory;
- 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;
- unexplained absence.
- Percentages for authorised and unauthorised absence relate to the total
number of possible attendances — typically, 380 half-day sessions during
the school year.
- The Scottish Executive plans to release school-by-school figures on attendance
& absence during February in a statistical bulletin.
- This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are
produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics
Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure
that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.
Enquiries
- Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News
Release should be addressed to Stephen Hinchliffe, Assistant Statistician,
Scottish Executive Education Department, Area 1-A, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244 7927 or email stephen.hinchliffe@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
- Media enquiries about the information in this News Release should be addressed
to:
Murray Meikle: 0131 244 2972
News Release
13 December 2001
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ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE IN PUBLICLY FUNDED SCHOOLS
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Table 1
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1999-00
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2000-01 (provisional)
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Percentage Authorised Absence
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Percentage Unauthorised Absence
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Average Number of Half Days Absence per Pupil
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Percentage Authorised Absence
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Percentage Unauthorised Absence
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Average Number of Half Days Absence per Pupil
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Primary
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4.63
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0.29
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18.7
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5.02
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0.35
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20.4
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Secondary (exS6)
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9.42
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1.43
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41.2
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9.83
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1.54
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43.2
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