Statistical bulletin on attendance at grant-aided schools 2014/15 published

The Department of Education has today published a statistical bulletin which provides an analysis of attendance at grant-aided primary, post-primary and special schools.

Key Findings:

The overall attendance rate for primary schools in 2014/15 was 95.4% of the total half days; 4.6% of all half days were missed due to absence, comprising 3.5% authorised and 1.1% unauthorised absence.

The overall attendance rate for post-primary schools in 2014/15 was 93.4% of the total half days; 6.6% of all half days were missed due to absence, comprising 4.5% authorised and 2.1% unauthorised absence.

The overall attendance rate for special schools in 2014/15 was 90.2% of the total half days; 9.8% of all half days were missed due to absence, comprising 6.7% authorised and 3.1% unauthorised absence.

The most common reason for absence in all schools was illness, which is an authorised absence. Illness accounted for 63.9% of all absent half days in primary schools, 52.9% in post-primary schools and 46.2% in special schools. This equates to 2.9%, 3.5% and 4.5% of the total half days respectively

The bulletin can be viewed on the DE website.

Notes to editors: 

1. Attendance data for the 2014/15 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 2015.
2. A further release containing a more detailed set of tables, including absence by pupil characteristics (e.g. gender, year group, ethnicity etc.) will be published on 18 February 2016.
3. Media enquiries to the Department of Education’s Communication Team Tel: 028 9127 9755. Out of office hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699715440 and your call will be returned.

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