In 2008/09, 6.8 per cent of half-day sessions were missed through authorised and unauthorised absence, an increase from 6.7 per cent in 2007/08. Boys and girls had the same rate of both overall and unauthorised absenteeism. A little under 5,500 pupils (2.8 per cent) had no absence from school in 2008/09. Just over one fifth of pupils account for around half the total number of absent sessions.
