Unauthorised Absences from Schools

Summary

A request for unauthorised school absence data since 2018 was partially fulfilled, with historical data deemed reasonably accessible via a Tynwald link, while specific 2023/24 statistics for primary and secondary schools were provided.

Key Facts

• The Department of Education, Sport and Culture cited Section 20 of the Act to withhold historical data available elsewhere.
• Primary school unauthorised absence rates for 2023/24 ranged from 0.01% to 5.5%, with an average of 1.1%.
• Secondary school data was provided broken down by year group for Ballakermeen, Castle Rushen, QEII, St Ninians, and Ramsey Grammar.
• Jurby Community Primary School recorded the highest unauthorised absence rate at 5.5%.
• Bunscoill Ghaelgagh recorded the lowest unauthorised absence rate at 0.01%.

Data Disclosed

• 2024-09-05
• 2024-10-02
• 2023/24
• 0.67%
• 5.5%
• 0.01%
• 1.1%
• 185
• 4105461
• Section 20

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 of the Act (Information reasonably accessible)

Original Request

For each year since 2018, how many unauthorised absences have been recorded in: (a) each primary school? (b) each secondary school?

Data Tables (5)

Full Response Text

Institution School Name Number of Enrolled Students Lesson Attendance (Unauth. Absent) during the previous academic year Anagh Coar Anagh Coar School 106 0.67% Andreas Andreas School 89 0.48% Arbory Primary Arbory Primary School 182 1.9% Ashley Hill Primary Ashley Hill Primary School 249 0.40% Ballacottier Ballacottier School 206 0.66% Ballasalla Primary Ballasalla Primary School 155 1.5% Ballaugh Primary Ballaugh Primary School 56 0.56% Braddan Primary Braddan Primary School 134 0.85% Bunscoill Ghaelgagh Bunscoill Ghaelgagh 59 0.01% Bunscoill Rhumsaa Bunscoill Rhumsaa 480 1.4% Cronk-Y-Berry Cronk-Y-Berry School 320 0.51% Dhoon Primary Dhoon Primary School 74 0.07% Foxdale Primary Foxdale Primary School 75 1.9% Henry Bloom Noble Juniors Henry Bloom Noble Primary School 400 0.48% Jurby Jurby Community Primary School 57 5.5% Kewaigue Primary Kewaigue Primary School 107 2.1% Laxey Primary Laxey Primary School 203 0.32% Manor Park Primary Junior Mixed and Infant Manor Park Primary Junior Mixed and Infant School 83 2.0% Marown Primary Marown Primary School 160 0.58% Michael Michael School 91 0.58% Onchan Primary Onchan Primary School 368 0.90% Peel Clothworkers Primary Peel Clothworkers Primary School 418 0.87% Rushen Primary Rushen Primary School 244 0.60% Scoill Phurt Le Moirrey Scoill Phurt Le Moirrey 166 2.4% Scoill Vallajeelt Scoill Vallajeelt 166 1.9% Scoill yn Jubilee - Infants Scoill yn Jubilee 326 0.49% St John's Primary St John's Primary School 114 0.61% St Mary's St Mary's RC School 259 1.1% St Thomas' St Thomas' C of E School 75 0.59% Sulby Primary Sulby Primary School 150 0.91% Victoria Road Primary Victoria Road Primary School 191 2.6% Willaston Primary Willaston Primary School 149 2.7% Average 185 Average 1.1% Unauthorised Absences Produced on: 23 Sep 2024 Page 1 of 1 Isle of Man Offshore Establishments

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808
Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4105461 02 October 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 5 September 2024, which states:

"For each year since 2018, how many unauthorised absences have been recorded in:
(a) each primary school?
(b) each secondary school?"

Our response to your request is as follows:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. Most of the information that you have requested is available from:
https://tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/W-202401- 1090.pdf Please see below information held for the 2023/24 academic year.
(a) Primary School – Please see attached Primary School unauthorised absences.
(b) Secondary School

Ballakermeen High School

Castle Rushen High School
2023/24

Total % absence rate % Authorised % Unauthorised Year 7 9.11 8.93 .18 Year 8 9.85 8.27 1.58 Year 9 13.06 9.75 3.31 Year 10 15.99 10.09 5.90 Year 11 18.08 9.34 8.74 Year 12 9.20 6.18 3.02 Year 13 6.38 4.94 1.44 QEII

2023/24

Total % absence rate % Authorised %Unauthorised Year 7 10.4 7.8 1.2 Year 8 12.2 9 2.5 Year 9 15.1 10.4 3.7 Year 10 16 9.5 3.8

St Ninians High School

Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
Year 10 Year 11 Year 12
Year 13 All Years Total % Absence Rate 8.48% 11.12% 13.56% 14.47% 14.27% 6.5% 9.29% 11.59% Authorised 6.76% 8.04% 9.41% 9.89% 8.48% 5.70% 7.68% 8.25% Unauthorised 1.72% 3.08% 4.14% 4.57% 5.80% 0.80% 1.60% 3.35%

Ramsey Grammar School

Year 11 12 6.5 3.9 Year 12 15.1 5.5 7.8 Year 13 11.7 4.4 6.9

Total % absence rate % Authorised %Unauthorised Year 7 9.6 7.1 2.4 Year 8 11 6.6 4.2 Year 9 12.7 8.4 4.3 Year 10 14.3 7.0 7.3 Year 11 10.5 5.1 5.5 Year 12 10.3 3.6 7.7 Year 13 11.7 2.4 8.0

Please quote the reference number 4105461 in any future communications.

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