School pupils register success

More than 40,000 pupils missed nearly half their education during the autumn term last year as truancy rates rose, Government figures showed today.

But figures for local schools compare favourably.

Nationally, children skipped the equivalent of nearly 4.2 million school days, with almost 60,000 primary and secondary school pupils absent without permission every day, according to the Department for Children’s figures.

Yet schools across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin education areas still maintain some of the highest attendance rates in the country.

Attendance in Shropshire County Council run primary schools during the autumn 2007 term was 95.4 per cent with 4.4 per cent authorised absence and just 0.2 per cent unauthorised absence.

In secondary schools, attendance was slightly lower at 93.45 per cent with 5.75 per cent authorised absence and 0.8 per cent unauthorised.

A county council education spokesman said: “Attendance in Shropshire continues to be above the national average and the attendance of the majority of pupils is very good.

“However in the case of those pupils for whom attendance is irregular we do take statutory action if there is no sound reason for the child’s continued absence.”

The Government today blamed winter bugs for keeping thousands of children at home as overall absence nationally rose dramatically among primary school pupils.