Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Attendance at grant-aided schools 2015/16 – detailed statistics
The Department of Education has recently published a statistical bulletin providing final and detailed figures for pupil attendance at grant-aided primary, post-primary and special schools for the academic year 2015/16.
Key findings:
- The overall attendance rate for all grant-aided schools in 2015/16 was unchanged from 2014/15 at 94.6%.
- The attendance rate for primary schools was 95.5% of total half days. In post-primary schools, the attendance rate was 93.5%. The overall rate for special schools was 90.2%.
- Pupils entitled to free school meals had lower attendance rates in 2015/16 than those who were not. In primary schools, such pupils were absent for 6.2% of total half days compared with 4.7% among other pupils. At post-primary level, free school meal entitled pupils were absent for 9.6% of total half days compared with 5.1% among other pupils.
- Four per cent of primary school pupils had attendance rates 85% and under. The equivalent figure for post-primary pupils was 9.1%. At post-primary level, non-grammar schools accounted for 84.4% of all pupils with attendance rates below 85%. These schools accounted for 58.8% of total post-primary enrolments in 2015/16.
- The most common cause of absence in all schools was illness, which is an authorised absence. It accounted for 63.1% of absent half days in primary schools, 53.0% in post-primary schools and 48.4% in special schools in 2015/16. This equated to 2.8%, 3.5% and 4.7% of total half days respectively.
