School absences

1) The number of student (statistic only) who had worse or the same levels of unauthorised or reason unknown absence, than my son, (name redacted). I’m requesting this data for the last This term and the last 2 school years before it, so 2 years and a term. I would like to know how many pupils had 8 or more unauthorised/ unknown absence days. I’m asking this to be measured per school year, for each of the years, e.g ‘pupil A had 15 days absence in 2018’, rather than pupil ‘who had 5 days in 2 years’

Devon County Council does not have a full data set that would allow this information to be accurately supplied, as the part data set is not classed as “validated”. The Government publishes Data for all schools which identifies the number of pupils with 10 or more absences (for any reason). This can be accessed on the Government website.

2.The number of fines the EWO has issued to the school over the last 2 years. Ultimately i want to know how many students have had similar amounts of absence similar to mine VS the amount of fines given. I need this to see if we’ve been treated differently. * This can be done by asking the EWO about the amount of fines given in 2 years and by obtaining records from the school asking to see all holiday request forms from the last 2 years. Then we’ll end up with a statistic, for example 11 similar absences 2 fines.

Education Welfare Officers (EWO’s) do not issue fines, therefore we do not hold this information. We may hold information about notices issued in respect of unauthorised absence issued through other means.

3) Does the EWO get targeted on the number of fines given?

No, please refer to the previous response.

4) Does  – officer name redacted – get targeted on the amount of fines she gives?

No

5) Does – officer name redacted – receive a bonus, incentive or get any kind of financial or incentivised gain for issuing a fine?

No

6) What percentage of the fine money goes to babcock for managing the process?

None

7) What percentage of the fine goes back in to the schooling system?

Legislation dictates how any income from payments can be used and DCC complies with this.

8) Does a school’s headteacher have any input in which pupils get referred to the EWO?

Yes.

9) Does the headteacher ‘sign’ anything to authorise a fine?

A penalty notice cannot be issued without a Headteachers certificate being signed by either the Headteacher or Acting Headteacher

10) How many people from schools within Devon county Council received fines? How many of these received a warning letter?

This data once collated and verified, is published by the Government on their website.