Written question asked by Barry Gardiner (Labour) on Monday, 20 May 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 24 May 2002. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Friday, 24 May 2002 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Dept for Education and Skills

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what consideration she has given to investigating the effects on primary schools' performance statistics resulting from children who have been registered for year 6 SATS but are subsequently unable to sit them through illness or unauthorised absence.

Answer: Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what consideration she has given to investigating the effects on primary schools' performance statistics resulting from children who have been registered for year 6 SATS but are subsequently unable to sit them through illness or unauthorised absence. [58543] Mr. Ivan Lewis: The primary school performance tables are wholly inclusive and as such report on the achievements of all pupils at the end of Key Stage 2-- including those absent on the day of the tests. For some schools this can have an affect on the percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 or above. The qualitative average point score, however, disregards pupils absent on the day of the tests, which redresses the balance of information presented in the tables.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 58543; 386 c662W;386 c661W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Assessments National curriculum tests Primary education Standards Schools
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk