ALMOST one in eight Swindon school pupils skipped lessons during the last school year, according to the latest Government figures.

But that figure 12 percent is far better than the national average of 17.9 per cent, or almost one in five pupils.

Truanting is officially defined as missing at least one registration without notification or explanation from a parent either before or after the absence.

The Swindon figures relate to 1,894 of the 11,457 secondary school pupils registered last year, and 1,198 of the 15,062 primary school pupils, and the average total period of unauthorised absence totalled about two school weeks.

The council's lead member for education, Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms), said there were pupils who truanted in the normal sense of the word.

However,part of the overall figure was down to parental connivance or omission.

He said: "We must underline the need for schools to be informed by parents or guardians if a child is unable to go to school.

"For example, a child might awaken feeling ill, and their parent rushes off to work and doesn't write a note or inform the school, because they think there is no need as the child will be back at school the next day.

"But that absence will still be recorded as unauthorised."

He said some children were absent from school because their parents booked holidays in term time which the council and teachers urged them not to do.

Coun Perkins said council educational welfare officers were working with the police to cut truancy.

Their work includes questioning children of school age who are seen outside of school during school hours,

According to the Government's figures, the Swindon statistics for last year equate to more

than 15,000 days of missed schooling.

Coun Perkins suggested that Swindon's level being so much better than the national average indicated that the council's anti-truancy policies were working.

He said: "We are working with schools to reduce the figures to a minimum.

"But the public must acknowledge that the figures include children who are absent from school with parental permission, but whose parents do not inform the school," he said.

The Government statistics were released by the Department of Education and Skills.

The Education Minister, Ivan Lewis, said that the overall trend in truancy countrywide was in decline.

Barrie Hudson