More pupils are bunking off school in Telford & Wrekin than in the rest of the county put togther, according to newly released statistics. Most of the absences are down to taking family holidays in term time, rather than truancy.
A Government report shows secondary and primary school pupils in the county overall were absent from more than 772,252 classes during autumn term 2007 and spring term 2008 - of which 80,739 were unauthorised absences.
This represents more than 386,000 school days lost to truancy in two terms.
The number of morning or afternoon lessons missed due to pupils bunking off school in Telford & Wrekin totalled 42,609, while the figure for the rest of the county was 38,130 unauthorised half-day absences.
Challenging
The statistics were released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families .
Councillor Stephen Burrell, Telford & Wrekin cabinet member for Children & Young People, said higher levels of unauthorised absences were due to schools across the borough challenging families taking children out of school in term time for holidays or minor illness and were not down to truancy.
“Taking children out of school in term time, for holidays and minor illness are registering as unauthorised,” said Councillor Bentley. “Truancy is a very minor part of the absence figures.
“We feel it is more important to attack persistent absence and registering unauthorised absences is part of that campaign. Our campaign includes adverts on the red buses - Missing school? Missing out! Every Day Matters, Every Lesson Counts - and leaflets for families on term-time holidays, minor illnesses etc.
“Attendance Week which runs from December 8 to 12 will highlight attendance issues.”
Councillor Bentley added that persistent absence in primary schools across the borough was well below the national level and that secondary levels were markedly down on the previous year.
Negative
The most commonly reported reason for absence nationally is “illness” which accounted for 59 per cent of all instances, followed by family holidays.
Currently, schools are able to grant up to 10 days authorised holiday on a discretionary basis.
But Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan said even a couple of days ‘unofficial holiday’ could have a “negative impact” on a child’s progress.
He said: “While I sympathise with the financial pressure on parents when planning holidays, no cut price deal is worth harming a child’s education for, and we need parents to work with schools, not against them, to make sure their children are in school every day.”
