Action on minor illness truancy

Attendance officers and police have visited 140 homes in Great Yarmouth to ask parents and carers why their children were absent from school.

Several children were returned to school during the week-long action by Norfolk County Council.

Most parents and carers said their children were unwell, and some had evidence to support this.

But the council said it was "not acceptable" to persistently cite minor illness as a reason for school absence.

'Absolute priority'

Shelagh Hutson, Norfolk's cabinet member for children's services, said: "We know there are occasions when children are too ill to attend school but far too often children are persistently failing to attend, citing minor ailments as their reason.

"This is not acceptable and can be a real concern.

"If a child is persistently ill then his or her parents need to ensure they seek medical advice to make sure their child is receiving the help they need.

"Improving attendance is an absolute priority for us, as it is so closely linked with raising aspirations and achievement.

"We are focusing on children who are persistently absent through alleged illness, where there is little or no medical evidence."