MORE than 1,500 children were persistently absent from Warrington's secondary schools last year, each missing at least 19 days of teaching.

New figures from the Department of Education reveal that 12 per cent of secondary school pupils, 1,561 children, missed at least 10 per cent of their allotted teaching time in the 2016/17 academic year.

In total, Warrington's secondary schools lost 120,000 days of teaching over the academic year.

State secondary schools are required to provide a minimum of 190 days of teaching each year.

On average, secondary school pupils missed out on at least nine days of education during 2016/17.

In almost three quarters of those cases, the absence had been 'authorised' from secondary schools, most commonly for illness or medical appointments.

The remainder was unauthorised which could be for periods of truancy and unauthorised family holidays.

In Warrington's primary schools, 1,077 children were regularly absent in 2016/17.

Across England, 14 per cent of students in state secondary schools and eight per cent in primary were persistently absent.

Cllr Jean Carter, executive board member for children’s services, said: “Warrington schools overall have a high educational performance, so it is no coincidence that they also perform strongly in relation to pupil attendance.

“Statistics published this term for the last academic year show a very positive picture for Warrington with some of the best attendance rates and lowest levels of persistent absence in the region (second and third best respectively).

“We can be very proud of the fact that our schools do so well and we are extremely grateful for the support of parents and carers on achieving high pupil attendance generally when compared with the position nationally.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: "Children only get one chance at an education and evidence shows that every extra day of school missed can affect a pupil's chances of achieving good GCSEs.

"The rules on term-time absences are clear and we have put schools back in control by supporting them – and local authorities – to use their powers to deal with unauthorised absence."

Local councils can impose fines of £60 on parents who fail to ensure their children's attendance at school, rising to £120 if not paid within 21 days.