The Department of Education has today published a statistical bulletin which provides a summary of pupil attendance at grant-aided primary, post-primary and special schools.
Key Findings:
- The overall attendance rate for all grant-aided schools in 2016/17 was 94.6% of total half days. This was unchanged from 2015/16.
- The attendance rate for primary schools was 95.5% of total half days. The 4.5% of half days missed comprised 3.1% authorised and 1.4% unauthorised absence.
- The attendance rate for post-primary schools in 2016/17 was 93.3% of total half days with 6.7% of half days missed due to absence 4.4% of which were authorised and 2.3% were unauthorised absences.
- The overall attendance rate for special schools was 90.1% of total half days. A total of 9.9% of half days were missed through absence, comprising 6.6% authorised absence and 3.3% unauthorised absence.
- The most common cause of absence in all schools was illness, which is an authorised absence. It accounted for 59.5% of absent half days in primary schools, 51.3% in post-primary schools and 46.6% in special schools in 2016/17. This equated to 2.7%, 3.4% and 4.6% of total half days respectively.
The bulletin can be viewed on the DE Website.
Notes to editors:
- Attendance data for the 2016/17 academic year was collected from all grant-aided primary, post-primary and special schools in Northern Ireland via the school census which was conducted in October 2017.
- Media enquiries to the Department of Education Press Office Tel: 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 0762 397 4383 and your call will be returned.