Campaign is launched to keep kids in school
EDUCATION has launched a campaign to keep children in school after it revealed that Guernsey pupils' attendance has fallen below the UK national average.
Primary schools in Guernsey achieved 95% attendance while secondary schools managed 92.4% last year.
The Education Department is responsible for roughly 8,900 pupils. National figures for the 2011/2012 school year show that primary schools achieved 95.6% and secondary 94.1%.
Last year's statistics are not yet available.
'Ninety percent attendance may sound pretty good but this actually equates to half a day of school missed every week,' said Julie Spratt, education development officer, SEN inclusion and intervention.
'If we look at this level of attendance over a whole school year it means four weeks of lessons missed.
'If a child maintains 90% attendance for all five years of secondary school then they actually miss out on half a year's worth of education.
In response, the department has launched a public awareness campaign, in conjunction with the Guernsey Dairy.
Blue litre milk cartons will carry the message, 'Whatever you want to be in the future, be in school today'.
