0.63% of half days missed due to unauthorised absence in 2004/05 (0.78 per cent in England)
- 2.2% of primary pupils did not have English as their first language inJanuary 2005 (11.7 per cent in England)
- 3.3% of all pupils with special educational needs statements inJanuary 2006 (2.9 per cent in England)
- 15.5% of nursery and primary school pupils taking free school meals inJanuary 2005 (13.4 per cent in England)
Inspectors have praised the local authority for improving its attendancefigures. The recent annual performance assessment said: "The council hashad a clear strategy to improve overall levels of attendance but therehas been insufficient focus on improving the attendance of looked-afterchildren until recently."
Source: Department for Education and Skills.
