To ask the Minister of Education what consideration has been given to providing different coding for absence where a child is known to have a long-term, chronic illness, particularly during the period of susceptibility to COVID-19 via community transmission.

DE Circular 2020/08 provides guidance to schools on managing pupil attendance in the context of Covid-19.

The appropriate absence code for a school to use for a particular pupil is likely to depend on the specific circumstances of that pupil. At present a school may apply Code 8 in circumstances where a pupil chooses not to attend school, or parent chooses not to send their child to school, on the advice of a medical professional as the child is self-isolating due to a significant underlying medical condition.

My Department is introducing new pupil attendance codes that are specific to Covid-19 absences, which will take effect from 4 January 2021. Information regarding this was issued to schools on 16 December 2020. This will further develop the range of attendance codes set out in DE Circular 2020/08. It will give schools more scope to accurately record the reasons for pupil absence and to capture those related to Covid-19 separately from others.

Departmental officials would be happy to provide advice to any school regarding the recording of attendance. The relevant team can be contacted either by email at: attendance@education-ni.gov.uk or by telephone on 02891 279328.