Truancy in English schools reaches record levels
The number of pupils missing school has risen
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Tuesday, 26, Feb 2008 12:00
Truancy in English schools rose to record levels last year, government figures have revealed.
Around 63,000 pupils skipped class every day in 2006/07, with nearly 273,000 students missing at least one day of school a week through truancy, illness and other reasons.
The figures released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families today equate to one per cent of all school sessions being missed without a valid reason.
Between 2004 and 2007 over 30,000 penalty notices were also issued to parents as a result of their child's level of absence from school.
To combat the rise, children's minister Kevin Brennan is writing to all local authorities urging them to tackle the causes of truancy, promote good behaviour and making parents accountable.
Mr Brennan announced that the total rate of absence fell to its lowest level with primary and secondary pupils missing 6.49 per cent of classes.
However, the "unauthorised absence" - which is used to judge truancy - rose to its highest levels on records, a rise of 0.92 per cent on last year.
"We're on course to meet our 2008 target of reducing absence by eight per cent compared to 2002/03 figures," Mr Brennan said.
"About seven per cent of pupils account for a third of all absence in secondary schools but the evidence shows that targeting is working, with 436 schools with the biggest share of persistent absence having reduced it by almost 20 per cent in a year."
"It is no surprise when the 'unauthorised absence' figure goes up because schools are taking a tougher stance on weak excuses they may once have authorised," he added.