North Wales - Denbighshire schools have the worst unauthorised absence rates in North Wales

Published date: 01 September 2016 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
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The county's schools had the worst rates of unauthorised absence in the region last year according to figures released by the Welsh Government.

However despite no change in unauthorised absences over the past three years, absences as a whole have dropped from 7% to 6.2% in the last school year alone.

In Denbighshire, 1.4% of half day sessions were missed in the 2015/16 school year, level with Conwy and ahead of the Welsh National Average of 1.3%.

The average for North Wales was 0.9% with pupils in neighbouring Flintshire missing just 0.4% of half day sessions through unauthorised absence.

Overall, Denbighshire's pupils missed 6.2% of half day sessions. Authorised absences made up 78.2% of cases in Wales, with illness making up the majority of these. rates of illness have been consistently falling across the country for the past five years.

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Despite the county being behind others in the region on unauthorised absences, Denbighshire County Council were keen to point out the improvement in overall absence.

A spokesman for the Council said: "The Welsh Government Statistical Release for Secondary schools demonstrates an improved position for Denbighshire. The overall absenteeism figure in the authority has reduced by 1 % over the past school year 2014-15.

 "Education and schools have implemented a new County attendance policy and procedures that is having a positive impact on improving pupil attendance. Schools and the local authority closely monitor pupil attendance and absenteeism rates across the county.

"Schools and families are aware of these policies and the wider importance and commitment by Denbighshire to engage and work with parents and children to maximise the education opportunities and outcomes for pupils.

"The improvement in pupil attendance reflects the engagement and hard work by schools and the cooperation of parents in ensuring that pupils attend school regularly."

see-http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/166196/denbighshire-schools-have-the-worst-unauthorised-absence-rates-in-north-wales.aspx