The figures mark a 61 per cent increase since 2011, when Michael Gove, the then Education Secretary, vowed to curb the number of unauthorised absences in primary schools. (educationbusinessuk.net)
However, a Renfrewshire Council spokesman argued that: «The combined figures for truancy and unexplained absence reflect a wide variety of reasons for unauthorised absence from school for part or all of the school day. (educationbusinessuk.net)
«Even small amounts of unauthorised absence from school were associated with substantial falls in average Naplan (National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy) test scores. (educationmattersmag.com.au)