Electronic absence data

1
Electronic absence data

• Data Collection Sub-RIG
• 30 June 2004

2
DfES wants WHAT!!!

• Does this sound familiar (to LEAs)?
• Is this the cry often heard when a new request
  for information arrives (in an LEA from DfES)?

3
But its not available!

• Does this also sound familiar?
• Is this the answer often given (by LEA
  colleagues)?
• Sometimes qualified by well not in that format,
  anyway

4
Absence data

• Increasing pressure for uptodate data on absences
  from schools
• In this context, attendance/absence data relates
  to sessional (AM/PM) registration
• It does not refer to eRegistration in secondary
  schools
• That is concerned with lesson by lesson
  attendance

5
Absence data

• Annual absence return collects from each school
• Number of possible attendances
• Number of actual authorised absences
• Number of actual unauthorised absences
• Data is collected in May for period Sept to May
• The data is school level aggregate data
• 60 LEAs sharing data each half term

6
Absence data

• DfES wants to
• Improve the quality of data available
• Ensure that pupil level data moves between
  systems within schools (where necessary)
• Improve the collection process by DfES
• Reduce the burden on schools (who still use
  paper)
• Ensure that pupil level data moves between
  schools and LEAs (where necessary)

7
Absence data

• DfES wants to achieve these through all schools
  storing pupil level attendance/absence data in
  their main MIS system
• Work with software suppliers to improve the
  extraction process
• Work with software suppliers to improve transfers

8
Barriers

• Disparate systems
• Reluctance to use electronic systems
• Funding
• Infrastructure
• Advice provided to schools on use of codesrefer
  to download spreadsheet Use of Codes
• User decisions on the use of absence codes refer
  to download spreadsheet Absence Codes

9
Proposed approach

• Identify availability and usage of MIS/other
  absence recording systems in schools
• Promote advantages of completing returns from
  within MIS systems
• Consider alternative data collection processes by
  DfES
• Codify absence codes and statistical meanings (in
  school/LEA software)

10
Proposed approach

• Co-ordinate consistency of advice to schools on
  use of codes
• Between LEAs
• By MIS support
• By Education Welfare Service