Fewer absences at Peterborough's schools

Overall attendance was 95.4 per cent in 2015/16, the last available figures, an improvement of 0.1 per cent from 2014-15 and 1.6 per cent over the last five years.

Gary Perkins, Peterborough City Council’s assistant director for education, said: “It’s a good news story. The big challenge that still faces us is around persistent absence.

“That’s the particular issue in secondary schools, but the response of schools is encouraging. They are very keen to improve rates of attendance.”

Mr Perkins was asked at Monday’s children and education scrutiny meeting about fines to parents whose children do not go to school.

He said: “The law says that where there’s an absence which is neither exceptional or unavoidable, a school can request a penalty notice is issued.”