§ Diana OrganTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the rate of absenteeism among pupils at(a) primary level and (b) secondary level during the days of SATS tests has been in this academic year; and what differences there were between these rates and dates before and after the SATS tests. [63622]
§ Mr. Stephen Twigg[holding answer 24 June 2002]: Statistics for this academic year's Key Stage tests are not yet available. The following table shows the percentage of pupils recorded as absent in the (a) Key Stage 2 tests and (b) Key Stage 3 test in all schools in England in 2001:
Percentage Subject (a)Key stage 2 (b)Key stage 3 English 1 4 Mathematics 1 4 Science 2 5 Data on rates of absence rates before and after the Key Stage tests are not available.
Information from the pupil absence survey for 2000–01 showed that 6.5 per cent. of half days were missed due to authorised absences and 0.7 per cent. due to unauthorised absences in all schools in England.