East Sussex County Council education welfare service staff and officers from Sussex Police carried out the truancy trawl, as part of the drive to improve school attendance and cut truancy. During the sweep, officers visited Bexhill, Eastbourne, Hailsham, Hastings and Rye, patrolling areas around the main schools and shopping areas.
In total, 36 pupils were returned to school using police powers under the crime and disorder act. Other pupils that were stopped had valid reasons for being out of school such as medical appointments, part-time school timetables, study leave, authorised holiday or exclusions.
The truancy sweep is part of an ongoing programme of countywide and local truancy sweeps scheduled to take place throughout the academic year, in addition to local patrols to be carried out by the council’s education welfare officers and school liaison officers.
Notes to editors
For further information please contact Penny Lavan at the county council’s education welfare service on (01273) 481877 or Inspector Russell Ternent at Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 ext 33353.
Reference:
05/189/MF
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