Despite a tougher approach, truancy still proves difficult to reduce

Head teachers believe that truancy is getting worse rather than better.

A survey, carried out for the Department for Education and Skills, showed that more heads than last year see truancy as a problem.

When questioned last year, a sample of 1,500 heads, teachers and local education authority officials found that 33% felt truancy to be a problem.

In the latest survey, this figure for those who perceived truancy as a problem had risen to 41%.

The problem of truancy has proved difficult to tackle, despite a series of highly-publicised initiatives designed to take a tougher line.

Jailing parents

Figures published in the autumn showed little progress on the truancy rate from the previous year - with an average 50,000 children missing school on any day.

The effort to cut truancy has included using the courts to enforce school attendance, including jailing the parents of regular truants.

And truancy sweeps, involving the police, have sought to emphasise the seriousness of the problem.

Head teachers' union leader, John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, says that the survey reflects the growing awareness of the need for action.

"Schools are putting in place an increasing number of measures to combat truancy.

"They are feeling that the government and the courts are at last beginning to support them more in these efforts but that is going to take time to work through and this survey reflects a period when urgent action was necessary."

The government has committed more money to combat truancy and improving behaviour, pledging �134m next year and rising to �186m in 2005-2006.