Statistics released by the Department for Education and Skills for 2004/5 show clearly that school attendance in the county is continuing to improve and outstrip the national average. In primary schools the percentage of half days missed was 5.02% (compared to a national average of 5.43%), whilst for secondary schools the figure was 7.26% (national average 7.82%).
Councillor Meg Stroude, Lead Member for Children and Families, said: "This is encouraging news and demonstrates that the County Council’s continuing efforts to improve school attendance are having an impact. Regular school attendance is crucial for a child’s development and future opportunities. We will continue working hard to make sure children attend school and, where necessary, make use of penalty notices or prosecute.”
East Sussex County Council’s Education Welfare Service provides advice and support to parents and carers who may have problems with their child’s school attendance. Penalty notices, truancy sweeps and prosecuting parents who continually allow their children to miss school are also strategies for improving attendance.
During the latest joint truancy sweep which was undertaken in Eastbourne and Hastings by officers from East Sussex Education Welfare Service and Sussex Police, a total of 48 pupils were stopped. Of these, seven children had no valid reason for their absence, and five were returned to school using police powers. In addition, in two separate cases before Eastbourne Magistrates Court last week, parents were found guilty of failing to ensure their child’s regular attendance and ordered to pay fines totalling £300 plus court costs totalling £175.
Notes to editors
Truancy sweeps were carried out on 15 September in Eastbourne and Hastings on 15 September 2005.
Eastbourne
In total 22 pupils were stopped and questioned, 16 of which were accompanied by a parent. 19 pupils had valid reasons for their absence. Reasons given for absence were 4 medical, 4 educated other than at school, 2 part-time timetable, 6 awaiting start at new school, 1 public school, and 2 moving out of county.
3 pupils had no valid reason for their absence. 2 pupils were unaccompanied, and subsequently returned to school using police powers. The third pupil was accompanied by a parent.
Hastings
26 pupils were stopped in total, 4 of which failed to provide a valid reason. 3 were returned to school.
Of the valid reasons: 8 had medical reasons, 6 were not on role of a school/awaiting school placement, 3 were excluded, 3 were not of statutory school age and 2 were educated at home.
The truancy sweep is part of an ongoing programme of county wide and local truancy sweeps scheduled to take place throughout the academic year, in addition to local patrols to be carried out by our Education Welfare Officers and School Liaison Officers.
For further information please contact Penny Lavan at the County Council’s Education Welfare Service on (01273) 481877 or Inspector Russell Ternent on 0845 6070999 ext 33353. See also our school attendance and behaviour pages.
Reference:
05/327/CJ
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