The figures for the proportion of half days missed due to unauthorised absence in maintained mainstream secondary schools in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in 2005-06 are given in the following tables:
Percentage Rural areas 0.75 Non-rural areas 1.28 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Figures are provisional. Note: Schools have been allocated as being in either an urban or rural area by matching the school postcode to the Rural and Urban Area Classification 2004 indicator held within the May 2005 National Statistics Postcode Directory.
Number Rural areas 92,800 Non-rural areas 687,800 1 Figures are given to the nearest hundred. 2 Includes middle schools as deemed. Note: Schools have been allocated as being in either an urban or rural area by matching the school postcode to the Rural and Urban Area Classification 2004 indicator held within the May 2005 National Statistics Postcode Directory.
Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.