HC Deb 26 February 2001 vol 363 cc340-5W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school truancies were recorded during the last 12 months in each local education authority area; and if he will make a statement. [148311]

Jacqui Smith

The number of half-days missed as a result of unauthorised absence (truancy) by pupils; and the percentage of those half-days missed, for each local authority area in England in 1999–2000 (the latest figures available) are shown in the table.

Although there has been some significant improvement in attendance levels too many children are still missing school without good reason. Over half of these are primary school children, most of whom will be absent with their parents' consent. That is why, last autumn, we announced a renewed drive to tackle truancy including extra resources available to schools and LEAs to tackle poor behaviour, with truancy the top priority. £174 million will be available in 2001–02—10 times the level in 1996–97. We have also begun a co-ordinated nationwide programme of truancy sweeps to pick up youngsters who should be in school. In addition, our Excellence in Cities programme is being expanded to provide more on-site learning mentors in schools to support children with barriers to attending school and learning. We are also asking schools with above average truancy records to set new targets for attendance. On 28 February, I am giving "Truancy Buster" awards of up to £10,000 to up to 50 schools in the country which have done the most to reduce truancy. From 1 March, the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 will come into effect with higher fines for the parents of persistent truants. And from 1 April, the first Connexions Service Partnerships will start, and will give priority to improving attendance at school for all young people aged 13 and over. All these measures are designed to help schools improve attendance and learning.

Unauthorised absence in maintained primary and secondary schools 1999–2000
Primary schools Secondary schools Primary and secondary schools
Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed
Birmingham 186,730 0.7 294,411 1.6 481,141 1.1
Blackburn with Darwen 20,386 0.5 38,810 1.4 59,196 0.9
Blackpool 27,928 0.8 43,581 1.9 71,509 1.3
Bolton 16,947 0.2 62,595 1.2 79,542 0.6
Bournemouth 16,373 0.6 20,435 0.8 36,808 0.7
Bracknell Forest 5,538 0.2 14,518 0.9 20,056 0.5
Bradford 95,943 0.9 215,869 2.0 311,812 1.4
Brent 32,672 0.6 38,519 1.0 71,191 0.8
Brighton and Hove 27,442 0.6 30,683 1.0 58,125 0.8
Bristol, City of 71,390 0.9 109,706 2.2 181,096 1.4
Bromley 25,339 0.4 30,357 0.6 55,696 0.5
Buckinghamshire 22,132 0.2 43,218 0.5 65,350 0.3
Bury 18,277 0.4 17,644 0.5 35,921 0.4
Calderdale 16,945 0.3 28,219 0.7 45,164 0.5
Cambridgeshire 46,618 0.4 67,452 0.8 114,070 0.6
Camden 33,948 1.2 39,395 1.5 73,343 1.4
Cheshire 52,539 0.3 88,581 0.7 141,120 0.5
Cornwall 36,915 0.3 36,779 0.4 73,694 0.4
Coventry 27,671 0.4 72,408 1.3 100,079 0.8
Croydon 38,308 0.5 27,778 0.6 66,086 0.5
Cumbria 16,335 0.1 50,995 0.6 67,330 0.3
Darlington 5,893 0.2 28,063 1.6 33,956 0.8
Derby City 39,697 0.7 32,464 0.8 72,161 0.7
Derbyshire 49,783 0.3 122,584 0.9 172,367 0.6
Devon 39,947 0.3 108,419 1.0 148,366 0.6
Doncaster 35,533 0.5 130,278 2.3 165,811 1.3
Dorset 20,982 0.3 41,879 0.5 62,861 0.4
Dudley 23,145 0.3 43,310 0.7 66,455 0.5
Durham 13,060 0.1 96,285 1.1 109,345 0.5
Haling 29,720 0.5 44,899 1.2 74,619 0.7
East Riding of Yorkshire 15,019 0.2 52,312 0.9 67,331 0.5
East Sussex 44,406 0.4 87,624 1.1 132,030 0.7
Enfield 70,278 1.1 88,221 1.7 158,499 1.4
Essex 101,118 0.3 200,408 0.9 301,526 0.6
Gateshead 18,252 0.4 44,244 1.3 62,496 0.8
Gloucestershire 32,413 0.3 47,315 0.5 79,728 0.4
Greenwich 69,301 1.4 70,953 1.9 140,254 1.6
Hackney 62,469 1.5 44,246 2.2 106,715 1.7
Halton 21,724 0.7 40,320 1.6 62,044 1.1
Hammersmith and Fulham 29,917 1.2 34,337 2.2 64,254 1.6
Hampshire 89,534 0.3 166,787 0.8 256,321 0.5
Haringey 88,807 2.0 69,291 2.3 158,098 2.1
Harrow 24,764 0.5 18,796 0.7 43,560 0.6
Hartlepool 17,207 0.7 31,726 1.6 48,933 1.1
Havering 8,750 0.2 23,433 0.5 32,183 0.3
Herefordshire 9,444 0.2 18,132 0.6 27,576 0.4
Hertfordshire 70,934 0.3 123,502 0.6 194,436 0.5
Hillingdon 55,578 0.9 59,554 1.4 115,132 1.1
Hounslow 42,307 0.9 37,871 0.9 80,178 0.9
Isle of Wight 3,120 0.2 23,585 0.7 26,705 0.5
Isles of Scilly 59 0.1 23 0.1 82 0.1
Islington 47,329 1.2 40,597 2.0 87,926 1.5
Kensington and Chelsea 11,936 0.8 16,946 1.8 28,882 1.2
Kent 113,697 0.4 139,685 0.6 253,382 0.5
Kingston upon Hull, City of 49,597 0.8 136,544 2.9 186,141 1.7
Kingston upon Thames 9,432 0.3 19,896 0.9 29,328 0.6
Kirklees 56,235 0.6 94,521 1.2 150,756 0.9
Knowsley 28,188 0.7 91,945 3.1 120,133 1.6
Lambeth 47,382 1.1 20,350 1.0 67,732 1.1
Lancashire 99,490 0.3 181,547 0.8 281,037 0.6
Leeds 85,130 0.5 249,839 2.0 334,969 1.2
Leicester City 38,711 0.5 92,160 1.9 130,871 1.1
Leicestershire 22,544 0.2 140,758 1.2 163,302 0.6
Lewi sham 81,270 1.5 96,545 2.9 177,815 2.1
Lincolnshire 42,390 0.3 95,001 0.8 137,391 0.5
Liverpool 67,499 0.6 138,857 1.6 206,356 1.0
London, City of 1,024 1.9 0 — 1,024 1.9
Luton 25,802 0.5 29,957 0.9 55,759 0.7
Manchester 94,704 0.9 125,859 1.9 220,563 1.3

Unauthorised absence in maintained primary and secondary schools 1999–2000
Primary schools Secondary schools Primary and secondary schools
Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed
Medway 24,487 0.4 52,977 1.0 77,464 0.7
Merton 21,164 0.6 38,336 1.7 59,500 1.0
Middlesbrough 20,005 0.5 42,628 1.6 62,633 1.0
Milton Keynes 21,588 0.4 15,988 0.5 37,576 0.4
Newcastle upon Tyne 24,397 0.5 61,491 1.3 85,888 0.9
Newham 112,799 1.7 138,744 2.7 251,543 2.1
Norfolk 81,321 0.4 111,608 0.9 192,929 0.6
North East Lincolnshire 13,357 0.3 61,350 1.8 74,707 1.0
North Lincolnshire 7,559 0.2 34,017 1.1 41,576 0.6
North Somerset 12,289 0.3 23,256 0.7 35,545 0.5
North Tyneside 3,907 0.1 23,362 0.6 27,269 0.3
North Yorkshire 18,933 0.2 48,373 0.5 67,306 0.3
Northamptonshire 60,425 0.4 101,031 0.8 161,456 0.6
Northumberland 6,545 0.1 32,956 0.4 39,501 0.3
Nottingham, City of 64,112 0.9 121,271 2.9 185,383 1.7
Nottinghamshire 65,448 0.4 198,475 1.3 263,923 0.8
Oldham 31,354 0.5 70,778 1.4 102,132 0.9
Oxfordshire 38,426 0.3 131,774 1.3 170,200 0.8
Peterborough, City of 29,298 0.7 30,768 0.9 60,066 0.8
Plymouth, City of 21,594 0.4 27,565 0.6 49,159 0.5
Poole 14,347 0.5 11,589 0.6 25,936 0.5
Portsmouth 31,589 0.8 54,904 1.8 86,493 1.2
Reading 26,231 0.9 12,116 0.8 38,347 0.9
Redbridge 41,755 0.8 28,671 0.6 70,426 0.7
Redcar and Cleveland 7,970 0.2 37,027 1.1 44,997 0.6
Richmond upon Thames 8,031 0.3 43,129 1.8 51,160 0.9
Rochdale 24,480 0.4 55,914 1.4 80,394 0.8
Rotherham 42,593 0.6 64,038 1.2 106,631 0.9
Rutland 510 0.1 4,045 0.6 4,555 0.3
Salford 34,118 0.6 49,408 1.3 83,526 0.9
Sandwell 34,569 0.5 86,784 1.5 121,353 0.9
Sefton 16,017 0.2 38,403 0.7 54,420 0.4
Sheffield 113,920 1.0 152,458 1.8 266,378 1.3
Shropshire 8,019 0.1 27,593 0.6 35,612 0.3
Slough 25,687 0.9 22,578 1.1 48,265 1.0
Solihull 11,321 0.2 23,330 0.5 34,651 0.4
Somerset 23,354 0.2 39,978 0.5 63,332 0.3
South Gloucestershire 18,155 0.3 58,487 1.4 76,642 0.7
South Tyneside 5,051 0.1 14,009 1.4 19,060 0.3
Southampton 36,341 0.8 38,365 1.1 74,706 0.9
Southend 24,865 0.7 40,652 1.4 65,517 1.0
Southwark 84,689 1.6 55,399 1.9 140,088 1.7
St. Helens 9,109 0.2 35,031 1.0 44,140 0.6
Staffordshire 39,798 0.2 86,304 0.5 126,102 0.4
Stockport 32,670 0.5 50,048 1.0 82,718 0.7
Stockton on Tees 6,311 0.1 23,333 0.6 29,644 0.3
Stoke on Trent 29,378 0.5 50,435 1.2 79,813 0.8
Suffolk 25,476 0.2 80,462 0.6 105,938 0.4
Sunderland 12,809 0.2 57,674 1.0 70,483 0.6
Surrey 50,539 0.2 108,267 0.7 158,806 0.5
Sutton 14,316 0.4 13,892 0.4 28,208 0.4
Swindon 16,281 0.4 26,873 0.8 43,154 0.5
Tameside 13,743 0.2 51,592 1.1 65,335 0.6
Telford and Wrekin 18,481 0.5 28,057 1.0 46,538 0.7
Thurrock 21,849 0.6 32,237 1.3 54,086 0.9
Torbay 7,226 0.3 21,494 1.0 28,720 0.6
Tower Hamlets 77,542 1.5 97,731 2.5 175,273 2.0
Trafford 12,377 0.2 31,455 0.7 43,832 0.5
Wakefield 46,449 0.6 41,679 0.7 88,128 0.6
Walsall 44,614 0.7 42,750 0.8 87,364 0.7
Waltham Forest 36,280 0.7 52,773 1.4 89,053 1.0
Wandsworth 26,960 0.6 20,973 0.8 47,933 0.7
Warrington 13,082 0.3 20,231 0.5 33,313 0.4
Warwickshire 20,301 0.2 61,075 0.7 81,376 0.4
West Berkshire 7,525 0.2 10,884 0.4 18,409 0.3
West Sussex 37,578 0.2 80,898 0.7 118,476 0.4
Westminster, City of 19,135 0.9 63,464 3.1 82,599 2.0
Wigan 25,307 0.3 64,573 1.0 89,880 0.6
Wiltshire 30,471 0.3 46,427 0.6 76,898 0.5

Unauthorised absence in maintained primary and secondary schools 1999–2000
Primary schools Secondary schools Primary and secondary schools
Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed Number of half days missed Percentage of half days missed
Windsor and Maidenhead 9,608 0.4 14,908 0.6 24,516 0.5
Wirral 29,395 0.4 37,838 0.6 67,233 0.5
Wokingham 10,007 0.3 10,284 0.4 20,291 0.3
Wolverhampton 42,545 0.7 55,442 1.3 97,987 0.9
Worcestershire 32,772 0.3 84,509 0.8 117,281 0.6
York, City of 12,444 0.3 23,224 1.1 35,668 0.6
England 5,223,695 0.5 9,164,962 1.0 14,388,657 0.7