Attendance at grant-aided primary, post-primary and special schools 2010/11: Summary statistics
Attendance data for the 2010/11 academic year was collected from all grant aided primary, post-primary and special schools via the School Census.
~ Thursday, 26 January 2012
Key points
Absence rates
- In primary schools in 2010/11, 5.1% of all half days were missed due to absence, comprising 3.7% authorised and 1.4% unauthorised absence. In 2009/10, overall absence accounted for 5.3% of the total half days (4.0% authorised and 1.3% unauthorised).
- In post-primary schools in 2010/11, 7.4% of all half days were missed due to absence, 4.6% was authorised absence and 2.8% was unauthorised absence. In 2009/10, overall absence represented 7.7% of the total half days, 5.2% authorised and 2.6% unauthorised. As with primary schools, the figures show a decrease in overall and authorised absence on the previous year, while unauthorised absence increased slightly.
- In special schools, 10.2% of all half days were missed due to absence in 2010/11, comprising 7.3% authorised and 3.0% unauthorised absence. This represents a decrease on the 2009/10 figures, from 11.0% overall absence (7.6% authorised and 3.4% unauthorised).
Reasons for absence
- The most common reason for absence in all schools was illness, which is an authorised absence. Illness accounted for 58.9% of all absent half days in primary schools, 47.7% in post-primary schools and 43.8% in special schools. This equates to 3.0%, 3.5% and 4.5% of the total half days respectively.
Comparisons with England, Scotland and Wales
- The highest overall absence rates in the primary sector were recorded in Wales – 6.7% of the total half days. Scotland had the highest overall absence levels in post-primary, at 8.8% of the total half days. This compares with 5.1% and 7.4% respectively in Northern Ireland.
The full report can be accessed on the DE website.
Notes to editors:
Background information
National Statistics
1. The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics:
- meet identified user needs;
- are well explained and readily accessible;
- are produced according to sound methods, and
- are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.
Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed.
2. The statistics in this release have been derived from the annual School Census. More information about the collection of school attendance data can be found on the DE website.
3. The 2010/11 figures in this statistical release are based on information as at 7 October 2011. They may be subject to minor revision and these will be notified in accordance with our revisions policy.
The data is produced at aggregate level only therefore individual pupils cannot be identified. More information on confidentiality can be found in the DE Confidentiality and Access Statement on the DE website.
Definitions
4. Attendance or absence is measured for every pupil in half day sessions (am and pm).
Attendance
In addition to actual attendance within the school premises, attendance also includes:
- Late (before registration closed)
- Approved sporting activities
- Study leave
- Educational visits
- Work experience
- Alternative education provision (organised by the ELB)*
- Home/hospital tuition (organised by the ELB)*
- Pupil referral unit*
- Another mainstream school (under Entitlement Framework)*
- Training Organisation (under Entitlement Framework)*
- FE College (under Entitlement Framework)*
- Intensive Support Learning Unit*
- CAMHS*
Authorised absence
An authorised absence is absence with permission from an authorised school representative on provision of a satisfactory explanation. This includes:
- Artistic endeavour**
- Bereavement
- Suspension
- Agreed family holiday (in very exceptional circumstances)
- Illness
- Medical / dental appointments
- Other exceptional circumstances (includes an exceptional event outside control of the school, for example, travelling children, court appearance)
- Religious observance
Unauthorised absence
An unauthorised absence is absence without permission from an authorised school representative due to unexplained or unjustified absence. This includes:
- Family holiday not agreed
- Other absence (includes absence not covered by any other code or a reason which is not acceptable to the school, for example, pupil’s / parent’s or sibling’s birthday)
- No reason provided for absence
- Late (after registration closed)
* In 2010/11, the code ‘E – Educated offsite’ was removed and broken down into 8 new codes, providing more detail on the type of alternative educational provision.
** New code added in 2010/11.
Note: The code ‘T – Traveller absence’ was removed prior to the 2010/11 academic year.
Data quality and coverage
5. As with the data for England, Scotland and Wales, overall absence is considered to be a more reliable measure of absence than authorised and unauthorised absence. Prior to September 2009, schools were advised to record unexplained absence initially as ‘no reason yet provided’, however, if a reason was not provided within a specified period of time, these should be changed to ‘other’. From September 2009 onwards, schools were instructed that, if a reason was never provided, the code should remain as ‘no reason yet provided’. This has resulted in higher levels of unauthorised absence being recorded as ‘no reason yet provided’ and lower figures for ‘other’ than in previous years.
Both figures have been provided, however limitations in comparing rates of unauthorised and authorised absence should be noted.
In addition, for those absences which are not covered by a specific code, the decision to allocate the absence as authorised or unauthorised is taken by the school.
6. Primary and post-primary data refer to pupils in Years 1 to 12 only, which aligns with the compulsory school age in Northern Ireland. Figures for special schools include all pupils attending special schools in 2010/11.
7. Attendance information was not available for 13 primary schools which had closed or amalgamated with another prior to the data being collected. This accounts for 1.5% of the total primary schools and 0.7% of all primary school pupils in Years 1 to 7 in 2010/11.
8. Comparative data was obtained from the following sources:
- Pupil Absence in Schools in England, Autumn Term 2010 and Spring Term 2011
- Absenteeism from Primary Schools, 2010/11 (Wales)
- Absenteeism from Secondary Schools, 2010/11 (Wales)
- Attendance and Absence in Scottish Schools, 2010/11
There are slight differences in definitions between the regions, for example, England statistics include study leave in authorised absence while the DENI statistics categorise it as present. There are also methodological differences in collecting the information. For example, the statistics for England are reported on a termly basis.
9. In some cases, percentages may not add due to rounding.
Users and uses of the data
10. The statistics are widely used by a range of groups including members of the NI Assembly, the Department of Education, other government departments, Education and Library Boards, schools, the Education and Training Inspectorate, researchers, students and the public. The data is used for benchmarking, performance indicators, policy development and monitoring, cross-departmental indicators e.g. NI Multiple Deprivation Measure, OFMDFM 10 Year Strategy for Children and Young People and research studies.
11. Requests for further information should be addressed to:
Mrs Oonagh NeenanStatistics and Research Branch
Department of Education
Rathgael House
Balloo Road
Bangor
Co. Down
BT19 7PR
Telephone: 028 9127 9438
Fax: 028 9127 9594
Email: oonagh.neenan@deni.gov.uk
Special analyses of the attendance information can be undertaken on request.
DE Statistical Releases can be accessed on the DE website under the Statistics and Research section.
If you have any comments or suggestions in relation to attendance data or this release, please let us know via this short questionnaire.
12. Media queries, contact the Department of Education’s Communications Team on Tel No: 028 9127 9701. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
Connect with US
