Why school is out for thousands of pupils every day [IrishTimes]
- Published: 20 January 2011
MANCHESTER LETTER : Local authorities in Britain are taking tougher action to deal with truancy
THE POSTERS at bus stops around Piccadilly railway station in Manchester are simply worded, reflecting the clarity of the writer and the scale of the challenge in getting the message across. “Taking off in term-time could land you with a fine. It’s called truancy. As a parent you are legally responsible for making sure that your child is in school. Otherwise you could face a fine,” they state.
Manchester has one of the worst truancy records in England. Three of the 10 schools with the worst records lie within the Greater Manchester Council’s area. In one – the Manchester Creative and Media Academy for Boys – nearly 22 per cent of the school’s 602 pupils, ranging in age from 11 to 19, missed at least one day’s worth of classes per week last year.
Besides the poster campaign, tougher action is now being taken. About 400 parents have been convicted in the last 18 months for failing to get their children to class. In Oldham, one of the council’s outlying towns, 240 parents were prosecuted in the last school year.
Some were forced subsequently to sign contracts saying they would mend their ways, while some of their children are now being escorted every morning.
Some progress has been made. Teachers and truancy officers called to 3,000 homes, while the officers carried out spot-checks at schools, checking the register before visiting the homes of students missing that day. More than 2,500 warning letters were sent out, along with more than 500 penalty notices of £100 each, leading to 1,500 pupils to improve their behaviour.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
