THE number of school pupils playing truant in Bromley is on the rise, despite the threat of prosecution hanging over parents whose children are caught bunking off.

In the last school year 250 pupils were picked up by 23 truancy patrols as overall attendance at schools fell by 0.5 per cent.

The parents of 29 students will be prosecuted by the council for failing to keep their children at school. Fines of up to £200 can be imposed by magistrates for this offence.

Others have also received parenting orders which mean they have to attend classes to help with their skills as parents, as Bromley seeks to stop the truancy rates rising again.

Of the 250 pupils stopped by education welfare officers, 17 per cent achieved 100 per cent attendance for at least five weeks following the intervention, with 43 per cent managing no unauthorised absences for a similar period.

A report by education welfare managers at the council pointed out irregular attendance at school seriously disrupted learning and undermined educational progress, leading to under-achievement.

Chairman of the education review sub-committee Councillor Peter Woods said: "The council takes its responsibility for enforcing attendance very seriously and the education welfare officers have our full backing in prosecuting parents who, despite every effort to help them, fail to co-operate."

The measures were taken as the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) announced £11.25m is to be provided nationwide to help the 600 schools with the worst truancy rates by introducing electronic registration schemes.

Among the measures the DfES wants to introduce are swipe card schemes, which are already being used by schools in other areas. But Bromley will not be eligible for it unless a school falls into special measures.

December 28, 2001 17:00