Secondary School Pupil Absence Data & Analysis Part 3

Summary

The request sought detailed analysis and reports on secondary school pupil absence reasons and attendance trends for the academic years 2021-2024. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided partial information, including specific attendance percentages and roll numbers, but withheld some data due to exemptions.

Key Facts

• The response covers attendance data for Island Secondary Schools across academic years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24.
• Attendance rates fluctuated significantly, with some periods showing drops to 67.8% for Year 11 in 2022.
• The authority cited that some absence was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Data includes breakdowns by year group, gender, and authorized versus unauthorized absences.
• The outcome was classified as 'Some information sent but part exempt'.

Data Disclosed

• 2021-22
• 2022-23
• 2023-24
• 84%
• 88.6%
• 95%
• 89.26%
• 67.8%
• 86.2%
• 75.6%
• 81.5%
• 88%
• 94.5%
• September 2021
• March 2022
• June 2022
• January 2023
• February 2024
• March 2024
• June 2024

Original Request

Further to FOI requests 4133273 (submitted 18th September 2024) and 4198293 (submitted 16th October 2024) which sought quantitative information on pupil absence I now seek the following for each Island Secondary School for the academic years 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24: Such information held to show the reason for recorded absences in relation to data previously provided in the FOI requests referred to above; and Such reports on pupil absence raised by the schools for their respective Governing Bodies and/or the Department and; Such analysis as has been conducted by the DESC on Secondary School pupil attendance in the last 3 full academic years and any comparative analysis with Secondary school absence rates pre and post Covid.

Data Tables (26)

Full Response Text

Date: September 2021

a) Number on roll (September 2020)

Males Females Total Year 7 81 (95)
69 (76) 150 (171) Year 8 98 (52) 77 (67) 175 (119) Year 9 52 (55) 69 (72) 121 (127) Year 10 55 (74) 74 (45) 129 (119)
Year 11 74 (59) 45 (52) 119 (111) Year 12 32 (34) 30 (34)
62 (68) Year 13 32 (22) 35 (30) 67 (52) Totals 424 (388) 399 (376) 823 (764)

b) Attendance of pupils: July 84% (some absence due to covid-19)

Date: March 2022

a) Number on roll (January 2022)

Males Females Total Year 7 80 (81)
71 (70) 151 (151) Year 8 99 (99) 77 (77) 176 (176) Year 9 51 (51) 67 (68) 118 (119) Year 10 55 (55) 75 (74) 130 (129)
Year 11 74 (74) 45 (45) 119 (119) Year 12 30 (31) 29 (29)
59 (59) Year 13 32 (32) 34 (35) 66 (67) Totals 421 (423) 398 (399) 819 (822)

b) Attendance of pupils: (some absence due to covid-19) January 88.6% February 88.7%

Date: June 2022

a) Number on roll (March 2022)

Males Females Total Year 7 81(80 )
72 (71) 153 (151)
Year 8 98 (99) 78 (77)
176 (176 ) Year 9 51 (51) 69 (67)
120 (118) Year 10 55 (55) 76 (75)
130 (130)
Year 11 74 (74) 45 (45)
119 (119) Year 12 30 (30) 29 (29)
59 (59) Year 13 32 (32) 34 (34)
66 (66) Totals 421 (421) 402 (398 ) 823 (819)

b) Attendance of pupils: (some absence due to covid-19) March 85.2% April 87.9% May 88.6%

September 2022 c) Attendance of pupils: Years 7-11 95%
Year 7 98.3 Year 8 94.9 Year 9 95.2 Year 10 92.4 Year 11 93.4

Sixth Form attendance: Years 12-13, including Year 14 . To be confirmed in meeting (awaiting registers from collaborative schools at the time of writing this report).

January 2023 d) Attendance of students:

Years 7-11 89.26% Including Years 12 and 13 88.85%

January 2023 Year 7 92.4 Year 8 89.9 Year 9 88.6 Year 10 86.6 Year 11 88.8 Year 12 87.7 Year 13 82

September 2022 Year 7 98.3 Year 8 94.9 Year 9 95.2 Year 10 92.4 Year 11 93.4

September 2023

February 2024 b) Attendance by students January 2024

Year 7 92.3 Year 8 90 Year 9 86 Year 10 87.4 Year 11 86 Year 12 89 Year 13 85 Whole school attendance 89% without Sixth Form, 88% with Sixth Form Same period previous year, January 2023: Years 7-11 89.26% Including Years 12 and 13 88.85%

September 2023

Year 7 98.1 Year 8 95.5 Year 9 92.3 Year 10 94.4 Year 11 93.1 Year 12 94.4 Year 13 94 Whole school: 94.5 %

March 2024 b) Attendance by students March 2024

Year 7 92 Year 8 89 Year 9 86 Year 10 88 Year 11 86 Year 12 89 Year 13 85

School attendance 88% January 2024

Year 7 92.3 Year 8 90 Year 9 86 Year 10 87.4 Year 11 86 Year 12 89 Year 13 85

Whole school attendance 89% without Sixth Form, 88% with Sixth Form

June 2024 b) Attendance by students

June 2024 Year 7 92 Year 8 89 Year 9 86 Year 10 87 Year 11 88 Year 12 88 Year 13 86 Years 7-11 88% attendance March 2024

Year 7 92 Year 8 89 Year 9 86 Year 10 88 Year 11 86 Year 12 89 Year 13 85

School attendance 88%

Attendance Summary July - September
2021 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 95.0 4.8 0.1 100.0 95.1 Year 8 87.4 8.0 4.5 100.0 87.5 Year 9 87.6 7.3 5.1 100.0 87.6 Year 10 81.5 11.9 6.6 100.0 81.5 Year 11 82.8 9.2 7.9 100.0 82.8 Totals 86.2 8.4 5.3 100.0 86.2

2022 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 93.7 5.9 0.4 100.0 93.7 Year 8 75.9 7.2 1.3 100.0 75.9 Year 9 73.2 8.3 2.7 100.0 73.4 Year 10 73.9 6.6 3.7 100.0 74.1 Year 11 67.8 9.3 6.3 100.0 68.0 Totals 75.6 7.5 2.9 100.0 75.7

Attendance Summary October - December 2021 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 84.9 14.4 0.2 100.0 85.4 Year 8 81.1 16.0 2.5 100.0 81.5 Year 9 80.7 15.8 2.8 100.0 81.4 Year 10 80.0 15.1 4.6 100.0 80.3 Year 11 76.2 15.9 7.4 100.0 76.7 Totals 80.7 15.5 3.3 100.0 81.2

2022 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 92.0 7.5 0.4 100.0 92.1 Year 8 88.2 10.5 1.2 100.0 88.2 Year 9 85.5 11.3 3.1 100.0 85.6 Year 10 87.5 8.7 3.5 100.0 7.8 Year 11 79.5 11.2 8.6 100.0 80.2 Totals 86.9 9.8 3.1 100.0 87.0

Attendance Summary January - April 2022 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 89.8 9.3 0.5 100.0 90.2 Year 8 89.4 13.0 1.7 100.0 85.3 Year 9 86.2 9.9 3.6 100.0 86.5 Year 10 81.1 13.1 5.4 100.0 81.4 Year 11 77.2 10.5 11.9 100.0 77.6 Totals 84.2 11.1 4.4 100.0 84.5

2023 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 91.3 7.9 0.5 100.0 91.6 Year 8 89.1 8.6 2.1 100.0 89.3 Year 9 86.5 9.6 3.3 100.0 87.0 Year 10 84.0 8.7 6.9 100.0 84.5 Year 11 75.7 10.6 13.1 100.0 76.4 Totals 85.8 9.0 4.8 100.0 86.2

Attendance Summary May to September 2022 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 92.6 6.8 0.6 100.0 92.6 Year 8 82.8 8.5 1.3 100.0 82.8 Year 9 79.5 10.4 2.6 100.0 79.6 Year 10 79.0 9.2 4.2 100.0 79.1 Year 11 73.8 11.9 6.6 100.0 73.9 Totals 79.9 9.7 3.3 100.0 80.0

2023 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 94.8 4.7 0.5 100.0 94.8 Year 8 90.9 7.7 1.0 100.0 91.3 Year 9 87.3 9.8 2.5 100.0 87.7 Year 10 84.9 10.3 4.6 100.0 85.1 Year 11 84.0 8.3 7.2 100.0 84.5 Totals 87.2 8.7 3.7 100.0 87.5

Attendance Summary October to December 2022 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 92.0 7.5 0.4 100.0 92.1 Year 8 88.2 10.5 1.2 100.0 88.2 Year 9 85.6 11.3 3.1 100.0 85.6 Year 10 87.4 8.7 3.5 100.0 87.8 Year 11 79.5 11.2 8.6 100.0 80.2 Totals 86.9 9.8 3.1 100.0 87.1

2023 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 91.1 7.2 1.0 100.0 91.9 Year 8 87.1 10.0 2.0 100.0 88.0 Year 9 85.8 8.9 4.5 100.0 86.5 Year 10 83.8 9.7 5.2 100.0 85.1 Year 11 83.6 8.1 7.8 100.0 84.2 Totals 86.3 8.7 4.1 100.0 87.2

Attendance Summary January to April 2023 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 91.1 7.2 1.0 100.0 91.9 Year 8 87.1 10.0 2.0 100.0 88.0 Year 9 85.8 8.9 4.5 100.0 86.5 Year 10 83.8 9.7 5.2 100.0 85.1 Year 11 83.6 8.1 7.8 100.0 84.2 Totals 86.3 8.7 4.1 100.0 87.2

2024 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 87.6 10.0 1.7 100.0 88.3 Year 8 85.1 10.4 3.8 100.0 85.7 Year 9 82.9 9.8 6.4 100.0 83.8 Year 10 82.7 9.2 7.4 100.0 83.4 Year 11 79.6 7.8 12.4 100.0 79.7 Totals 83.6 9.4 6.3 100.0 84.2

Attendance & Suspension Summary May - September 2023 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 94.8 4.7 0.5 100.0 94.8 Year 8 90.9 7.7 1.0 100.0 91.3 Year 9 87.3 9.8 2.5 100.0 87.7 Year 10 84.9 10.3 4.6 100.0 85.1 Year 11 84.0 8.3 7.2 100.0 84.5 Totals 87.2 8.7 3.7 100.0 87.5

2024 Group Presents Authorised Absences Unauthorised Absences Possible % Attend Year 7 94.9 4.3 0.3 100.0 95.5 Year 8 89.9 7.3 2.4 100.0 90.3 Year 9 85.5 9.1 5.0 100.0 85.9 Year 10 83.2 9.8 6.4 100.0 83.8 Year 11 84.3 8.8 6.7 100.0 84.5 Totals 86.5 8.4 4.7 100.0 86.9

St Ninian’s High School – Extracts from Governing Body Meetings September 2021

November 2021

February 2022

May 2022

October 2022

Ramsey Grammar School

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: 4252777 9th December 2024

Dear ###,

We write further to your request, received 12 November 2024, which states:

"Further to FOI requests 4133273 (submitted 18th September 2024) and 4198293 (submitted 16th October 2024) which sought quantitative information on pupil absence I now seek the following for each Island Secondary School for the academic years 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24:

Such information held to show the reason for recorded absences in relation to data previously provided in the FOI requests referred to above; and

Such reports on pupil absence raised by the schools for their respective Governing Bodies and/or the Department and;

Such analysis as has been conducted by the DESC on Secondary School pupil attendance in the last 3 full academic years and any comparative analysis with Secondary school absence rates pre and post Covid."

Our response to your request is as follows:

1. Such information held to show the reason for recorded absences in relation to data previously provided in the FOI requests referred to above; and

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, complying with your request for information would require the Secondary Schools to create or derive information from information that they hold, and undertake research into, or analysis of information that they hold. Which the Department is not required to do under the Act.

By way of advice and assistance, in respect of Queen Elizabeth II High School, under Section 20 of the Act, the requested information is available to view on the Isle of Man Government disclosure log: https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/search#
by searching 4133273 in the case ID field.

1. Such reports on pupil absence raised by the schools for their respective Governing Bodies and/or the Department and;

Ballakermeen High School While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the school does not hold the requested information.

Castle Rushen High School Please see appendix one - Attendance figures provided to the Castle Rushen High School Governing Body. Castle Rushen High School provide the figures for the current academic year alongside the figures for the same period for the previous academic year.

Ramsey Grammar School Please see appendix two.

St Ninian’s High School Please see appendix three.

Queen Elizabeth II High School Please see appendix four.

1. Such analysis as has been conducted by the DESC on Secondary School pupil attendance in the last 3 full academic years and any comparative analysis with Secondary school absence rates pre and post Covid

Please see appendix five.

Redacted Content

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information in Appendix five, specifically in the instances where information relates to sensitive data regarding children and where data relates to five or less pupils as the Department determines that individual pupil’s may be identifiable.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible the information is exempt as it constitutes personal data of a person other than you and under section 8 of the Data Protection Act 2002 the data subject would be entitled to prevent disclosure of the information to a member of the public otherwise than under that Act.

As section 39 is a qualified exemption, it is subject to a public interest test. The public interest must be something that is of serious concern and benefit to the public at large. The matters which were considered in applying the public interest test are as follows:

Factors in favour of disclosure - To promote transparency and accountability.

Factors in favour of withholding - That pupils have a general expectation that details of their attendance at school will remain anonymised. Disclosure of this information would contravene that expectation and cause an intrusion into the privacy of the data subject which may lead to some distress.
- Whilst the Freedom of Information Act 2015 promotes transparency and accountability and therefore there may be some public interest in individual pupil’s attendance being disclosed, it is not sufficient to outweigh an individual pupil’s right for this information to remain private.
In taking these factors into account the Department of Education, Sport and Culture determined that the factors in favour of maintaining the exemption outweigh the factors in favour of disclosing the information.

Please quote the reference number 4252777 in any future communications.

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An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

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I will now close

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