Attendance

School Attendance in Scotland

Education Scotland's 2023 report on school attendance "Improving Attendance: Understanding the Issues" contained the following key points:

• Attendance is defined as participation in a programme of educational activities arranged and agreed by the school.

• The Scottish Government’s national attendance and absence statistics (SG, 2022c) show that school attendance in the year 2020-21 had fallen by 2.4 percentage points compared with pre covid-19 pandemic data from 2018-19. This national picture was reflected in East Lothian.

• Absence can be related to individual, peer, family or school factors (or a combination of these). 

• Culture, systems and practice are crucial structures to support attendance.

• National statistics provide evidence of a poverty related gap in attendance.

Most vulnerable groups: 

• children and young people impacted by poverty 

• secondary-aged pupils

• pupils with additional support needs

• young people from Gypsy and Traveller communities

• children and young people who have been excluded

• children and young people who are care experienced

• Young Carers

• children and young people experiencing feelings of anxiety