Council disputes Birmingham truancy statistics
Dec 7 2007 By Shahid Naqvi, Education Correspondent
League tables showing that three of the country's worst primary schools for truancy are in Birmingham have been disputed by council chiefs.
According to statistics from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), Our Lady and St Rose of Lima Catholic Primary School in Weoley Castle has the second worst unauthorised absence rate in the country.
St Michael's CoE Junior and Infant School in Handsworth has the fourth worst rate and Tame Valley Community School in Hodge Hill the ninth.
But Birmingham City Council claims Our Lady and St Michael's incorrectly submitted truancy data that made them seem to have a much bigger problem than they do.
It said the error had been reported to the DCSF in September - early enough for it to amend the results before publishing league tables - but Government officials failed to act.
Councillor Les Lawrence (Con Northfield), cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: "Both Our Lady and St Rose of Lima Catholic School and St Michael's CoE Junior and Infant School have a level of authorised absence comparable with other city schools.
"We're aware the unauthorised absence data for both schools was not submitted correctly and this was raised with the DCSF before the publication of the tables. Both schools are awaiting a further outcome on this matter."
According to the league tables, pupils at Our Lady missed 6.3 per cent of half-day sessions during the last academic year due to unauthorised absence.
The figure was well above the national average rate for the last academic year of 0.5 per cent.
Birmingham council officials suspected an error as the corresponding figure for 2006 at Our Lady was 0.3 per cent. For 2005 it was only 0.4 per cent and for 2004 it was 0.5 per cent, indicating a downward trend.
A similar inexplicable leap was highlighted at St Michael's which this year's league table show as having missed 6.1 per cent of half days during the last academic year.
Council officials also found this surprising considering the corresponding figure for 2006 was 0.2 per cent and for 2004 it was 0.3 per cent.
A spokeswoman for the DCSF said the schools had been given every opportunity to correct the information.
"They submit the data to us and then we send it back for them to check. They did confirm it and sent it back. It may be that someone has queried it since then."
She added the school would still have a chance to change the information, though not in time for publication of this year's league tables.
Birmingham accepted the results for Tame Valley Community School and added it was addressing the problem.
Coun Lawrence said: "Tame Valley Community School provides a tough line in challenging high levels of absence, meaning the unauthorised absence figure will be above average.
"They have received targeted additional support from the city council to help reduce unauthorised absence and raise awareness of the importance of regular attendance."
Assuming the results for Our Lady and St Rose of Lima Catholic School and St Michael's were inaccurate, there were 25 schools in the West Midlands that featured on a list of the worst-performing for truancy.
Sixth worst nationally was Millbrook Primary School in Telford, where pupils missed 5.9 per cent of half-day sessions due to unauthorised absence.
