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Absence Records

The Tables show the levels of overall and persistent absence for day pupils of compulsory school age (age 5 to 15 at the start of the academic year 2007/2008).

Overall absence is the percentage of possible half-days recorded under any combination of the following attendance codes (or the sum of authorised and unauthorised absences for schools which do not report absence by reason):

• I - Authorised absence due to illness (NOT medical or dental etc. appointments)
• M - Authorised absence due to medical/dental appointments
• R - Authorised absence due to religious observance
• S - Authorised absence due to study leave
• T - Authorised absence due to traveller absence
• H - Authorised absence due to agreed family holiday
• F - Authorised absence due to agreed extended family holiday
• E - Authorised absence as pupils is excluded, with no alternative provision made
• C - Authorised absence as pupils is absent due to other authorised circumstances
• G - Unauthorised absence as pupils is on a family holiday, not agreed, or is taking days in excess of an agreed family holiday
• U - Unauthorised absence as pupils arrived after registers closed
• O - Unauthorised absence as pupils missed sessions for an unauthorised absence not covered by any other code/description
• N - Unauthorised absence as pupils missed sessions for a reason that has not yet been provided

Persistent absence is the percentage of pupils enrolments equalling or exceeding the threshold number of half-day absences (set to equal 20% of the national average number of possible half-day sessions) over the Autumn and Spring terms combined.  The persistent absence threshold for Autumn and Spring 2007/20008 is 48 or more half-day sessions.

Boarding enrolments are not included. Enrolments for whom zero possible sessions were recorded are not included.  The first and second columns show:

• the percentage of half days missed due to overall absence
• the percentage of pupils enrolments with 48 or more half days of absence.

If we have not received complete information from a school, “Valid data were not returned" is shown in the relevant columns.  If we have agreed to suppress information from a school due to data quality issues, “Valid data were not returned” is shown in the relevant columns. “Not applicable” applies to boarding schools with no day pupils. In the case of schools that are part boarding, the published statistics relate only to the school’s day pupils and may not represent the levels of absence in the school as a whole.

There may be inconsistencies for some schools in the figures for the number of pupils on roll on 17 January 2008 and the number of pupil’s enrolments underlying the persistent absence figure. This is because they have been calculated in different ways and serve different purposes.

Year on Year Comparisons

The Tables show how the KS2 results of pupils in each maintained school have changed over the past four years.

Bar charts show the aggregates of the three percentages of pupils achieving Level 4 or above and Level 5 in the English, mathematics and science tests in each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

The Level 4 and above aggregate is calculated as follows:

= Aggregate (to the nearest whole number)

The Level 5 aggregate is calculated as follows:

= Aggregate (to the nearest whole number)

What the year on year comparisons tell you

From the bar charts, you can see the history of a school's KS2 results, and whether they have stayed at the same level over time.

Because each year group is made up of different pupils, with different prior attainment and other characteristics, results may fluctuate from year to year for reasons to do with the pupils rather than the school.

Small fluctuations from year to year are unlikely to be significant, particularly if the school's year group is small.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The Tables show:

• the total number and percentage of pupils with SEN on a school's roll
• the total number and percentage of pupils eligible for the KS2 tests with statements or supported at School Action Plus
• the total number and percentage of pupils eligible for the KS2 tests supported at School Action.

SEN School Codes

SCHOOL ACTION

The triggers for intervention through School Action could be the teacher's or others' concern, underpinned by evidence, about a child who, despite receiving differentiated learning opportunities:

• makes little or no progress even when teaching approaches are targeted particularly in a pupil's identified area of weakness
• shows signs of difficulty in developing literacy or mathematics skills which result in poor attainment in some curriculum areas
• presents persistent emotional or behavioural difficulties which are not ameliorated by the behaviour management techniques usually employed in the school
• has sensory or physical problems, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of specialist equipment
• has communication and/or interaction difficulties, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of a differentiated curriculum.

SCHOOL ACTION PLUS

The triggers under School Action Plus could be that, despite receiving an individualised programme and/or concentrated support under School Action, the pupil:

• continues to make little or no progress in specific areas over a long period
• continues working at National Curriculum levels substantially below that expected of pupils of a similar age
• continues to have difficulty in developing literacy and mathematics skills
• has emotional or behavioural difficulties which substantially and regularly interfere with their own learning or that of the class group, despite having an individualised behaviour management programme
• has sensory or physical needs, and requires additional specialist equipment or regular advice or visits by a specialist service
• has ongoing communication or interaction difficulties that impede the development of social relationships and cause substantial barriers to learning.