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Attendance and Absence in Scottish Schools 1998-1999 to 2000-2001

7. Statistical Notes and Definitions

7.1 Sources

Attendance and absence information is provided to the Scottish Executive by the education authorities, and managers of grant-aided and self-governing schools. The information shown for attendance and absence is for the academic year. School roll information is provided to the Scottish Executive by schools each September as part of the annual School Census.

7.2 Coverage

This report contains three year’s information on school roll and attendance and absence for education authority, grant-aided and self-governing primary and secondary schools. The absence figures relate to half-days, i.e. a morning or afternoon.

This report does not give information on attendance and absence in special schools, independent schools or pre-school establishments.

Schools listed are those open as at September 2001. Schools which closed at the end of the 2000-2001 session, and for which data are available, are included in the education authority figures.

The attendance and absence of S6 pupils and of adults attending day-school classes have been excluded from the figures as they are beyond the age of compulsory schooling.

Almost all secondary schools offer education from S1-S6. Where this does not apply, the stages offered are printed after the school name.

7.3 Definitions

SOED Circular 1/95 and SOEID Circular 10/95 give specific guidance to schools and education authorities. These circulars defined attendance, and specified the two categories for the recording of absence in school handbooks: authorised and unauthorised.

Attendance is 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, parents or both
• Unexplained absence.

School roll for any session is the total number of pupils on the roll in the school census taken in September of that session. It does not include adults enrolled for day-time classes, pupils of other schools who use the facilities of the school on a part-time basis, or other individuals who use the school facilities, for example, where the school is a community school. For the purpose of this report, pupils who are placed in special units are included on the school roll. Secondary school roll figures exclude S6 pupils.

Average number of half-days authorised absence per pupil is obtained by multiplying a school’s percentage authorised absence by 380 for non-Lothian schools, 342 for most schools in the Lothians.

Average number of half-days unauthorised absence per pupil is obtained by multiplying a school’s percentage unauthorised absence by 380 for non-Lothian schools, 342 for most schools in the Lothians.

The education authority average is the average number of half-days authorised or unauthorised absence for all pupils in education authority schools only.

The national average is the average number of half-days authorised or unauthorised absence for education authority, grant-aided and self-governing schools in Scotland.

Authorised and unauthorised absence rates are shown as percentages of the total possible number of attendances for each school.

Local interpretation of national guidance may influence the figures reported by schools or education authorities, from whom further information can be obtained.

Each morning and afternoon of each school day counts as a separate possible attendance.

The total number of possible attendances for a school is calculated by totalling the number of possible attendance for all pupils while they were on the school register.

7.4 Symbols

Two asterisks (**) are printed in the report in place of figures based on very small school rolls (more than 0 but fewer than 5 pupils).

Two hashes (##) indicates that the school has recently opened or merged with another school and this information is not available.

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