(UK) Primary school truancy reaches new high

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The number of primary school pupils truanting each day has reached a record high, new figures show.

Statistics published by the Department for Education reveal an average of 23,244 primary school pupils were off school without permission each day between September 2010 and April 2011 – the autumn and spring terms.

The government calculates pupil absence by half days of school lost. During the autumn and spring terms, 0.69% of half days were lost in primary schools due to unauthorised absence, compared with 0.68% for the same period the year before and 0.52% five years ago.

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The most common reported reason for absence was illness, which accounted for 61% of all absence.

Absence for family holidays accounted for 9% of all absence.

full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/oct/19/primary-school-truancy-new-high