Truancy figures on the slide

TRUANCY rates have fallen in Oldham — bucking the national trend.

Nationally, record numbers of pupils skipped lessons last autumn according to official figures.

The rate rose by 11.8 per cent nationally, compared with Oldham, where the overall absence rate fell by 0.25 per cent (6.61 per cent to 6.36 per cent).

Unauthorised absences were up slightly by 0.19 per cent (0.97 per cent to 1.16 per cent) but authorised absences were down by 0.44 per cent (5.65 per cent to 5.21 per cent) and persistent absence was down by 1.1 per cent (5.3 per cent to 4.2 per cent). The figures were mirrored in a breakdown between primary and secondary schools. In primary schools, the overall absence rate was down by 0.19 per cent (from 5.97 per cent to 5.78 per cent) and in secondary schools it fell by 0.36 per cent (7.43 per cent to 7.07 per cent).

For the full year of 2009/10, persistent absence in secondary schools was down 1.9 per cent from 5.5 per cent to 3.6 per cent so truancy figures for the whole of last year may fall further.

It puts Oldham 0.8 per cent lower than the national average.

The number of penalty notices for taking holidays in term time has increased — but overall the number of holidays taken in term time has decreased.

Education chiefs say that Eid celebrations in the Autumn term and a rise in illnesses can impact on authorised absences.

An Oldham Council spokesman said: “Schools use many different strategies to improve attendance, most importantly making lessons interesting so that pupils want to attend school.

“They make ‘first day of absence calls’ home and make home visits. They also work with the Attendance Service to hold attendance panels in school — especially if there are frequent absences due to illness.

“The secondary Behaviour and Attendance Partnership actively monitors attendance data and the schools support each other in developing strategies to improve attendance.”

Parents can be prosecuted if truancy persists.

Nationally, the hike has been blamed on rising numbers of primary school pupils missing school without permission.

The total unauthorised absence rate for both primary and secondary schools has increased by 15.5 per cent in the last five years.

Across the country, around 24,700 primary school children and 39,000 youngsters skip school on an average day without permission.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “Absenteeism is still too high.

“We know that children who are absent for substantial parts of their education fall behind their peers and struggle to catch up.”