Electronic registers aim to cut truancy

29 Mar 01
The government has announced an extra £11.25m to clock in pupils electronically in an effort to help 500 secondary schools combat truancy.

30 March 2001

Schools minister Jacqui Smith announced on March 26 that the cash would come from the government's Capital Modernisation Fund.

Smith said: 'Schools need to make it absolutely clear that pupils should be in class. The best way to do so is to contact parents as soon as a child is missing. The technology is available to do it much faster.'

Electronic registration systems include issuing pupils with swipe cards so schools can monitor when they are in class.

Teachers can also scan their written records into computers or use hand-held devices to record attendance.

'A number of schools have already introduced electronic registration and have proved that it is a successful and significant tool in tackling truancy,' said Smith.

An estimated 50,000 school children skip school every day but electronic registration methods have proved a strong deterrent. Around 20% of all schools use electronic systems to record pupil attendance.

An independent report cited by the Department for Education and Employment estimated that electronic registration can reduce levels of truancy by around 10%.

A spokeswoman for the NUT said any money towards overcoming truancy was welcome, but the new funds would not go far.

'Many schools have found electronic registration very helpful but it is expensive. This sum will provide an average of just £2,625 for each secondary school. That will not cover the cost of installation and maintenance,' she said.

PFmar2001

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