2,500 Shropshire pupils miss classes every day
More than 2,500 pupils were missing from the county’s schools every day last year, new figures show.
Department for Education figures show that Telford & Wrekin’s state secondary school pupils missed 5.9 per cent of their lesson time in the 2017-18 academic year.
Of those absences, more than a quarter were unauthorised, including truancy or for family holidays for which permission had not been granted.
And 15 per cent of the 10,323 pupils enrolled in secondary schools were classed as persistently absent, meaning they missed 10 per cent of their total learning time.
In Shropshire state secondary school pupils missed 5.7 per cent of their lesson time in the 2017-18 academic year.
One in six were unauthorised, including truancy or for family holidays for which permission had not been granted.
And 14 per cent of the 15,119 pupils enrolled in secondary schools were classed as persistently absent, meaning they missed 10 per cent of their total learning time.
Telford & Wrekin’s state primary school pupils missed four per cent of their lesson time on average, with more than a quarter of absences unauthorised. Among primary pupils, eight per cent were persistent absentees.
Absence rates increased slightly in secondary schools compared to 2016-17, when 5.5 per cent of sessions were missed, and also increased slightly from 3.7 per cent in primary schools.
In total, it means around 1,200 pupils were missing from primary and secondary school on the average day in 2017-18.
For Shropshire state primary school pupils missed 4.1 per cent of their lesson time on average, with one in six of absences unauthorised. Among primary pupils, eight per cent were persistent absentees.
'Plateaued'
Absence rates increased slightly in secondary schools compared to 2016-17, when 5.2 per cent of sessions were missed, and also increased slightly from 3.8 per cent in primary schools.
In total, it means around 1,600 pupils were missing from primary and secondary school on the average day in 2017-18.
A Department for Education spokesman said: "The Education Secretary has made clear, persistent absence from school is a society-wide challenge that we all need to work together to resolve - and while significant progress has been made, today's data shows that has now plateaued.
"High quality education and pastoral care will make a real difference to children's life chances, and that's particularly important for those who are most vulnerable, but clearly key initiatives will only work if children are present.
"That's why the rules on term-time absences are clear: no child should be taken out of school without good reason.
"We have put head teachers back in control by supporting them - and local authorities - to use their powers to deal with unauthorised absence."
