Foreword by the Secretary of State for Education

Regular attendance at school has always been important. It is the bedrock on which our whole education system is built. Without it, pupils risk falling behind in their studies and enter a depressing cycle of low educational achievement, poor job prospects and lack of fulfilment . Some may also drift into patterns of anti-social or criminal behaviour.

The Government believes that all schools - maintained and independent, primary and secondary - should pay particular attention to maintaining high levels of attendance. We recognise that many factors contribute to irregular attendance and that some of these - notably family problems - lie outside the direct control of schools. Nevertheless, every unjustified absence is a serious matter because of the loss of precious learning time and needs to be properly investigated.

These national tables show the level of unauthorised absence in maintained schools in each of the 109 English LEAs, together with comparative data for different types of school.

This year for the first time we are also publishing information on levels of authorised absence, that is to say occasions on which schools have given permission for children to be absent from school and instances of absence where a satisfactory explanation has been forthcoming. The publication of both authorised and unauthorised absence data gives the reader the full picture on pupil absence from our schools.

I would like to thank all the schools and LEAs who assisted in their compilation.

Rt Hon Gillian Shephard MP

Secretary of State for Education