Form tutors at the International School and Community College enter pupil attendance directly on to a computer that triggers a text message to parents if a child is absent.
But a spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council said: "In this case the girl was late but the message had already been sent." Meanwhile, the Department for Education and Skills has denied reports it is to change how truancy statistics are collected amid fears its target of a 10 per cent reduction in truancy by 2004 will not be met.
It has been suggested that the department plans to switch to a system measuring attendance rates rather than absenteeism.
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