Written question asked by Eric Forth (Conservative) on Monday, 7 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 February 2005. It was answered by Stephen Twigg (Labour) on Monday, 21 February 2005 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 assessment she has made of the accuracy of the data provided by schools to her Department for the last three years regarding attendance.

Answer: Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the accuracy of the data provided by schools to her Department for the last three years regarding attendance. [215725] Mr. Stephen Twigg: We are satisfied the pupil absence in schools data published by my Department is accurate. We have processes in place to quality assure and clean the data submitted by each school prior to its provisional publication each September. The data is checked by schools as part of the School and College Achievement and Attainment tables exercise and revised figures are published each December.

Secondary information