Twenty-eight pupils caught truanting in Baguley
29 January 2008
A two-day truancy sweep in Baguley during January caught 28 pupils out of school without a valid reason.
The sweep was part of a Respect Action Week operation in the area involving officers from Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Police and other agencies working with the local community.
Officers from the city council's school attendance improvement service (SAIS), accompanied by police officers, carried out the sweeps at the start and end of the Respect Action Week, on 14 January and 21 January.
On the first day, 19 children were stopped - and 13 had no reason for being out of school. Fifteen of those stopped were of secondary school age and four were of primary school age. Nearly two thirds of those stopped were girls.
Thirteen pupils were returned to school, two others were taken home and four were allowed to continue their business. These six pupils had a valid reason for being out of school.
On the second sweep, 24 pupils were stopped. Fifteen had no good reason for being out of school while the remaining nine had valid reasons. Of those stopped, 20 were from secondary schools and the remainder from primaries.
Eleven pupils were returned to school and out of the 24 stopped, 18 were unaccompanied by an adult.
The parents of the truanting children were sent letters explaining the reasons for the sweep and that action may be taken if there are future school absences without valid reasons. Attendance will also be monitored for the following three school weeks.
Parents have also been warned that penalty notices or prosecutions may follow if further truanting occurs. Penalty notices can incur a £50 fine to be paid within 28 days, rising to £100 to be paid within 42 days.
Officers from the SAIS will now liaise with school staff to discuss pupils' absenteeism, with an invitation to parents to attend an attendance panel made up of school staff, SAIS officers, school-based police officers and Connexions workers.
The Executive Member for Children's Services, Councillor Sheila Newman, said: "It ought to go without saying that regular attendance at school is an absolute necessity if a child is to prosper. Truanting can also lead to nuisance behaviour and sometimes outright anti-social behaviour. We are determined to combat truancy and to make sure all pupils are in school and receiving an education."
Apart from straightforward truancy, a main reason for being absent from school was shopping.
More truancy sweeps are planned next month in other parts of the city.
Media contacts:
Dave Hulme, tel: 0161 234 4610
Jane Lemon, tel: 0161 234 3179
