MORE Southampton pupils are failing to turn up to lessons compared to nearly anywhere else in the country, according to new government figures.
The city has the fourth highest level of overall primary school pupil absences and third highest level of secondary school pupil absences out of 150 local education authorities nationwide.
More children played truant at Southampton's primary and secondary schools, known as unauthorised absences, during the last school year (2006-07) compared to the previous year.
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At the city's 14 secondary schools more children were granted time off during term time due to sickness and taking term-time holiday, known as authorised absences, compared to the previous year.
Although Southampton's primary schools saw a marginal improvement with fewer authorised absences the figures - like all of the city's results - were worse than the national average.
The city's figures mean Southampton is one of the worst education authorities in making sure pupils attend lessons despite a raft of measures by city council bosses to curb the spiralling truancy rate.
These have included truancy sweeps involving education welfare officers and police catching children skipping lessons by patrolling popular haunts such as WestQuay.
Spot checks have also been carried out in lessons to track down pupils who register first thing in the morning and then truant individual lessons.
Even the city-wide introduction of £100 fixed penalty notices on parents of persistent truants and prosecution in the courts has failed to halt the truancy levels.
Clive Webster, executive director for children's services and learning said: "While this is very disappointing, the fact is schools are working very hard with parents, pupils and support services to improve attendance.
"These figures are from last year and I am confident we will start to see real progress when the next set of figures are published.
"Despite the considerable efforts of schools, we must do far more with parents to ensure they fully understand the critical importance of their children attending school regularly."
Across both Hampshire's primary and secondary schools truancy levels rose last year compared to the previous year.
Councillor David Kirk, Hampshire County Council's lead executive member for children's services said: "Most children in Hampshire attend school well and these recent Government figures show that overall absences in Hampshire schools are, on the whole, lower than the national averages.
"However, authorised absences at secondary schools are slightly above the national average, whilst this might relate to policy decisions in individual schools relating to the recording of absence, we are not complacent about this issue."
"The city's figures mean Southampton is one of the worst education authorities in making sure pupils attend lessons despite a raft of measures by city council bosses to curb the spiralling truancy rate."
So can we now agree that all these fines and other initiatives are not working? Can we also agree that the fines system is not working because I can count on one hand how many Southampton parents have been fined for unauthorised absence abuse?
So what do the powers have planned now? They need to make their plans clear or resign and let someone else manage the problem.
"The city's figures mean Southampton is one of the worst education authorities in making sure pupils attend lessons despite a raft of measures by city council bosses to curb the spiralling truancy rate."
So can we now agree that all these fines and other initiatives are not working? Can we also agree that the fines system is not working because I can count on one hand how many Southampton parents have been fined for unauthorised absence abuse?
So what do the powers have planned now? They need to make their plans clear or resign and let someone else manage the problem.
Posted by: Sue, Southampton on 8:21am Wed 27 Feb 08
The fine is obvioulsy too low. Truancy is obviously a major problem in Southampton as it appears a percnetage never attend school. Children are evident everywhere irrespective of time of year. Parents should attend parenting class. It is sad to see so many children having to fend for theehmselves. Children are wandering aimlessly everywhere.
The fine is obvioulsy too low. Truancy is obviously a major problem in Southampton as it appears a percnetage never attend school. Children are evident everywhere irrespective of time of year. Parents should attend parenting class. It is sad to see so many children having to fend for theehmselves. Children are wandering aimlessly everywhere.
Posted by: moominpapa, in the trees on 8:28am Wed 27 Feb 08
truancy levels are not spiralling out of control they are the same as they have always been.I think that all the rules that are put in place are pathetic and good on the kids that are bucking the rules it shows independant thought which this country needs! and before you sad gits start rambling on about kids hanging around street corners etc stop being so old remember your youth and try to imagine yourself as a youth today.
truancy levels are not spiralling out of control they are the same as they have always been.I think that all the rules that are put in place are pathetic and good on the kids that are bucking the rules it shows independant thought which this country needs! and before you sad gits start rambling on about kids hanging around street corners etc stop being so old remember your youth and try to imagine yourself as a youth today.
Posted by: eddie, Southampton on 9:33am Wed 27 Feb 08
'In the know' is obviously not. The council's website says that last year 280 penalty notices were issued.
And what is moominpapa on about? 'Good on the kids that are bucking the rules'??!! How are they ever meant to achieve anything? Education is everything. Yes, the rare lucky person drops out of school and becomes a millionnaire, but the odds are stacked against the majority!
'In the know' is obviously not. The council's website says that last year 280 penalty notices were issued.
And what is moominpapa on about? 'Good on the kids that are bucking the rules'??!! How are they ever meant to achieve anything? Education is everything. Yes, the rare lucky person drops out of school and becomes a millionnaire, but the odds are stacked against the majority!
[quote][bold]hmm[/bold] wrote:
Stop their parents benefits, the dear of not having th most upto date
TV, sky subscription and trainers would shock any youth into behaving[/quote] The [bold]dear[/bold] of not having [bold]th[/bold] most [bold]upto[/bold] date TV?
Three co[bold][/bold]ckups in one sentence? You're losing it, buddy
(cue usual "I'm not a journalist, ergo I'm exempt from being coherent" nonsense)
hmm wrote:
Stop their parents benefits, the dear of not having th most upto date
TV, sky subscription and trainers would shock any youth into behaving
The dear of not having th most upto date TV?
Three cockups in one sentence? You're losing it, buddy
(cue usual "I'm not a journalist, ergo I'm exempt from being coherent" nonsense)
[quote][bold]P. Edant[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]hmm[/bold] wrote:
Stop their parents benefits, the dear of not having th most upto date
TV, sky subscription and trainers would shock any youth into
behaving[/quote] The [bold]dear[/bold] of not having [bold]th[/bold]
most [bold]upto[/bold] date TV? Three co[bold][/bold]ckups in one
sentence? You're losing it, buddy
(cue usual "I'm not a journalist, ergo I'm exempt from being coherent"
nonsense)[/quote] That was meant to say "The shame of not having the most up to date TV"
I'm not a journalist by the way
P. Edant wrote:
hmm wrote:
Stop their parents benefits, the dear of not having th most upto date
TV, sky subscription and trainers would shock any youth into
behaving
The dear of not having th
most upto date TV? Three cockups in one
sentence? You're losing it, buddy
(cue usual "I'm not a journalist, ergo I'm exempt from being coherent"
nonsense)
That was meant to say "The shame of not having the most up to date TV"
Posted by: Verbal Kint, Southampton on 11:54am Wed 27 Feb 08
stop child benefit from parents too damned lazy to make sure their kids go to school. the fear of losing the money for 40 sovereigns and a couple of bottles of frosty jack would make the parents do some parenting...
stop child benefit from parents too damned lazy to make sure their kids go to school. the fear of losing the money for 40 sovereigns and a couple of bottles of frosty jack would make the parents do some parenting...
Posted by: parent, southampton on 5:30pm Wed 27 Feb 08
Who really cares that Clive Webster thinks this is "very disappointing" He holds the future of all our children in his hands and does not care about their views about disrupting their education so why should parents worry about the odd holiday or day off ?
Who really cares that Clive Webster thinks this is "very disappointing" He holds the future of all our children in his hands and does not care about their views about disrupting their education so why should parents worry about the odd holiday or day off ?
Posted by: live local, southampton on 3:06am Thu 28 Feb 08
Do the schools actually like haging certain pupils away? if it is the disruptive ones then the remaining children can concentrate on their learning with out disruption.
Secondly many parents ask for the children to have days of family weddings, holidays when parents are unable to go during the school holidays and the schools are not permitted to allow the absence so it is marked as skivving.
Do the schools actually like haging certain pupils away? if it is the disruptive ones then the remaining children can concentrate on their learning with out disruption.
Secondly many parents ask for the children to have days of family weddings, holidays when parents are unable to go during the school holidays and the schools are not permitted to allow the absence so it is marked as skivving.
Posted by: Mr Soton, soton on 3:42pm Fri 29 Feb 08
[quote][bold]hmm[/bold] wrote:
Stop their parents benefits, the dear of not having th most upto date TV, sky subscription and trainers would shock any youth into behaving[/quote] where in the article did it mention that the chidlren's parents were on benefits? a bit of a snobbish comment.
hmm wrote:
Stop their parents benefits, the dear of not having th most upto date TV, sky subscription and trainers would shock any youth into behaving
where in the article did it mention that the chidlren's parents were on benefits? a bit of a snobbish comment.
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