TOUGH new measures to cut down on truancy numbers in Swindon schools are proving effective with the latest data showing fewer pupils were absent during the past year.

The latest data from the Office of National Statistics showed in the academic year 2013-2014, only 4.2 per cent of sessions were missed by pupils, compared to 4.5 per cent in England during the same period.

Only 0.8 per cent of those were unauthorised absences, compared to 1.1 per cent in England.

The data also showed that across Swindon, there are 895 persistent absentee pupils, representing just 3.2 per cent of the 27,580 student population in state-funded primary and secondary schools.

Meanwhile, secondary schools under the Wiltshire Council authority area reported a higher than average number of sessions missed overall, at 5.6 per cent, compared to 5.2 per cent of sessions missed at schools across England.

One school which has seen particular improvements over the past few months is Nova Hreod Academy, which has seen a number of measures brought in aiming to tighten up attendance and discipline.

A spokesman said: “Attendance has shown a steep and positive upwards trend over the past year.

“Persistent absence is falling sharply and students feel proud to come to school. They respect the importance of their education in helping them towards their future lives.

“We’ve put in place a series of positive initiatives across the school which are proving successful in ensuring students turn up on time and ready to learn.

“When a school is well run and learning is engaging and interesting, pupils enjoy coming to school. What we’ve seen over the past year is that children are valuing their education far more, hence they are flourishing at Nova.

“Visitors all say that it is a very different school to several years ago and we are very pleased with how our students are responding to the increased standards we are setting”.

A stricter enforcement of absentee rules was enforced along with a string of other measures came with the installation of new leadership team at the Akers Way school last September.

The statistics on pupil absence are in line with national trends, which show a decrease in absences in schools from 5.3 per cent in 2012-13 to 2013-2014.

The number of pupils classified as persistent absentees has also decreased by one per cent, while illness remains the most common reason for absence.