IT is reassuring that truancy figures in Swindon are considerably lower than the national average.

And it would be unfair to assume that the 12 per cent of pupils who skipped lessons during the last school year persistently play hookey.

However, the picture revealed by the Government's latest figures indicate that too many children miss school with the connivance of their parents or guardians.

If mums and dads have an apparently casual attitude towards the importance of school, how can we expect their children to take education seriously?

Taking our kids Christmas shopping is hardly a justifiable reason for keeping them away from the classroom.