Written question asked by Andrew Rosindell (Conservative) on Thursday, 3 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 7 November 2005. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 November 2005 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Truancy

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to tackle truancy among school children.

Answer: I refer the hon. Members to the reply given on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1216W to the earlier question from the Member for Romford.In addition to our strategy for improving attendance outlined in my previous reply, my Department has introduced a range of measures to promote parental responsibility for school attendance. These include supportive parenting contracts, compulsory parenting orders, penalty fines and prosecution. We are working with 146 secondary schools with high levels of persistent truancy, and a further 293 secondary schools with high levels of absence, to tackle persistent truancy by providing advice and effective practice. We are working with the 265 secondary schools in pathfinder partnerships to improve behaviour and tackle persistent truancy.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 26233; 439 c623W;439 c623W
Session: 2005-06
Related items: Truancy
Wednesday, 2 November 2005
Written questions
House of Commons; Truancy
Monday, 13 February 2006
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Parental responsibility Secondary education Truancy
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk