New statistics reveal a massive number of unauthorised absences, due largely to pupils being taken on holiday during term time.
Last year there were more than 2.5 million half-day sessions missed in the North’s secondary sector. Of these absences, more than 811,000 were unauthorised.
Those categorised as unauthorised include taking time off due to the availability of cheap holiday deals. Others are said to skip school because poor weather affected their summer holidays.
Attendance and absence is measured for every pupil in half-day sessions – morning and afternoon – because schools take two roll calls each day.
In the 2014/15 academic year, 6.6 per cent of all half days were missed in post-primary schools – 4.5 per cent authorised absence and 2.1 per cent unauthorised.
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