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Pupil attendance plans unveiled Pupil attendance plans unveiled
(about 2 hours later)
Guidance aimed at improving school attendance is to be put out for consultation by the Scottish Executive.Guidance aimed at improving school attendance is to be put out for consultation by the Scottish Executive.
The draft document follows a review of how parents are notified of their child's absence in light of the death of West Lothian boy Rory Blackhall. The draft document follows a review of how parents are notified of children's absence in light of the death of West Lothian boy Rory Blackhall.
The 11-year-old was found murdered three days after failing to turn up for school in August 2005.The 11-year-old was found murdered three days after failing to turn up for school in August 2005.
The proposals include measures for strengthening links between absence and child protection. New Scottish Executive figures showed that 2% of Scotland's pupils are responsible for half of all truancy.
The document, to be launched on Tuesday by the Education Minister Hugh Henry, also looks at ways to address the wider reasons for absence from school. The executive report showed that of 700,000 pupils on state school rolls, less than 10% were persistent truants.
However, truanting accounted for 5,000 absences a day from 2005-2006.
The number of children turning up regularly has remained about the same over the past two years, with just over 93% of Scotland's school children attending most of the time.
Term holidays
Sickness was reported as the main reason for absence, with about 22,700 pupils off sick on any one day.
The report also showed that the number of pupils who took holidays in term time had risen slightly, although overall attendance at classes was up marginally over the previous year.
A total of 32,000 pupils (5% of the total school roll in Scotland), recorded a 100% attendance in the year.
Primary schools had the best record, with 95% of all eligible pupils turning up at school regularly, the same as in the previous year.
Attendance decreased steadily in the early years of secondary school, rising slightly in S5 and S6.
There has been a lot of good work in councils recently to build on and improve attendance at school Councillor Charlie GrayCoslaThere has been a lot of good work in councils recently to build on and improve attendance at school Councillor Charlie GrayCosla
There was little difference in the rates between boys and girls, but the report showed that boys had a better attendance record after S4.
The executive proposals for improving attendance include measures for strengthening links between absence and child protection.
The document, launched by Education Minister Hugh Henry, also looks at ways to address the wider reasons for absence from school.
Mr Henry said: "The draft guidance published today draws together best practice and clarifies requirements for recording attendance and absence.Mr Henry said: "The draft guidance published today draws together best practice and clarifies requirements for recording attendance and absence.
"Just as importantly, we're also making stronger links between absence and protection of children, ensuring schools take immediate action when a child fails to turn up at school without explanation.""Just as importantly, we're also making stronger links between absence and protection of children, ensuring schools take immediate action when a child fails to turn up at school without explanation."
Rory Blackhall's death led to a nationwide pilot early warning system of calls and texts to parents whose children are missing from class.Rory Blackhall's death led to a nationwide pilot early warning system of calls and texts to parents whose children are missing from class.
Mr Henry said: "We've already funded a nationwide pilot of automated call systems and I look forward to seeing the impact of these systems on attendance when the latest statistics are published."
Eastwood High School in Newton Mearns is one of the schools with an automated system.
Parents can be warned about absences via mobile phoneParents can be warned about absences via mobile phone
Headteacher Stuart Maxwell told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme how the system works. Executive funding of £740,000 has enabled an automated system to be set up in about 600 schools with the secondary schools involved recording a small improvement in attendance rates.
Eastwood High School in Newton Mearns is one of the schools with an automated system.
Headteacher Stuart Maxwell told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme how the system works.
He said parents are expected to contact the school before 1000 GMT on the first day of absence. The messages are then matched to details in the electronic register.He said parents are expected to contact the school before 1000 GMT on the first day of absence. The messages are then matched to details in the electronic register.
If there are any discrepancies, a text message is automatically sent to the child's parents. The system also picks up on pupils who leave school during the day.If there are any discrepancies, a text message is automatically sent to the child's parents. The system also picks up on pupils who leave school during the day.
"There are always situations where perhaps a pupil hadn't made it the correct class and we have the odd angry parent saying we have contact them unnecessarily," Mr Maxwell said. "There are always situations where perhaps a pupil hadn't made it to the correct class and we have the odd angry parent saying we have contacted them unnecessarily," Mr Maxwell said.
"On the other hand, in terms of pupil safety, most parents accept that the system is particularly rigorous.""On the other hand, in terms of pupil safety, most parents accept that the system is particularly rigorous."
Mr Maxwell said attendance had improved at the school since the system was introduced and added that the tragedy in Livingston showed that systems must be in place to make sure pupils were safe. 'Major step'
Mr Maxwell said attendance had improved at the school since the system was introduced and added that the tragedy in Livingston showed systems must be in place to make sure pupils remain safe.
"This is a major step in that direction," he added."This is a major step in that direction," he added.
'Instant mechanisms'
The annual attendance and absence statistics are to be published later on Tuesday.
Cosla education spokesman, Councillor Charlie Gray, welcomed the consultation.Cosla education spokesman, Councillor Charlie Gray, welcomed the consultation.
He said: "There has been a lot of good work in councils recently to build on and improve attendance at school.He said: "There has been a lot of good work in councils recently to build on and improve attendance at school.
"New technology provides instant mechanisms for alerting parents and carers to any unexplained absence and many schools have used this to great effect.""New technology provides instant mechanisms for alerting parents and carers to any unexplained absence and many schools have used this to great effect."
The consultation on the document, Engaged and Involved, runs until 27 February.The consultation on the document, Engaged and Involved, runs until 27 February.