PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT 2000 - SCOTLAND ANALYSIS
Attendance and Absence
4. Thirty seven per cent of 15 year olds in school reported being absent from school at least once during a two week period. The same proportion also reported arriving late for school at least once over the same period. Twelve per cent reported skipping at least one class during the two weeks. Levels of attendance and absence were similar to the UK and OECD. Not surprisingly, those with higher levels of attendance tended to achieve higher reading literacy scores.
Table 19a Percentage and performance on the PISA reading literacy scale of students who reported being absent from school, Scotland
Proportion of 15 year olds who, in the two weeks prior to the survey, had: | Scotland | Scotland |
Never | 1 or 2 times | 3 or 4 times | 5 or more times | Never | 1 or 2 times | 3 or 4 times | 5 or more times |
| missed school totally | 63% | 30% | 4% | 3% | 538 | 514 | 503 | 478 |
| skipped classes | 88% | 8% | 2% | 1% | 533 | 492 | 481 | * |
| arrived late for school | 63% | 28% | 7% | 3% | 543 | 508 | 485 | 494 |
* based on too few responses to be valid
Table 19b Percentage and performance on the PISA reading literacy scale of students who reported being absent from school, UK
Mean reading score of 15 year olds who, in the two weeks prior to the survey, had: | UK | UK |
Never | 1 or 2 times | 3 or 4 times | 5 or more times | Never | 1 or 2 times | 3 or 4 times | 5 or more times |
| missed school totally | 65% | 28% | 4% | 3% | 537 | 508 | 485 | 466 |
| skipped classes | 90% | 8% | 1% | 1% | 530 | 487 | 484 | 436 |
| arrived late for school | 61% | 28% | 7% | 4% | 538 | 510 | 500 | 484 |
Table 19c Percentage and performance on the PISA reading literacy scale of students who reported being absent from school, OECD
Mean reading score of 15 year olds who, in the two weeks prior to the survey, had: | OECD | OECD |
Never | 1 or 2 times | 3 or 4 times | 5 or more times | Never | 1 or 2 times | 3 or 4 times | 5 or more times |
| missed school totally | 66% | 27% | 4% | 3% | 512 | 489 | 461 | 431 |
| skipped classes | 83% | 13% | 2% | 2% | 508 | 477 | 468 | 430 |
| arrived late for school | 67% | 24% | 5% | 4% | 515 | 482 | 472 | 444 |