CHILDREN in Lancashire missed 4,482 school days during the last school year, latest figures have revealed.

According to the Department for Education, 575 were down to truancy from Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council schools – a slight increase from the year before.

The number of days missed from school for all reasons increased by 68 in Blackburn with Darwen, the overall figure for Lancashire fell by 348 compared to 2009-10.

Education bosses at Blackburn with Darwen Council said that they ‘recognise there is more work to be done’ to reduce absence rates in the borough. At 6.2 per cent for overall absences, the education authority’s schools were above the regional and national averages of 5.8 per cent.

Its authorised absence rate of 5.2 per cent was also above the regional and national averages which stands at 4.7 per cent.

But truancy was below the regional and national figures.

Lawrence Warburton, education welfare manager at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "We are continually improving and closing the gap but we recognise there is more work to be done and we will continue to support our schools as they identify pupils with high levels of absence. We continue to do better than our neighbouring authorities at primary school level and outperform the majority of most deprived urban areas across England.”

Lancashire County Council’s authorised, unauthorised and overall absence rates were below the regional and national averages.

Lancashire County Councillor Susie Charles, cabinet member for children and schools, said: "While we're never complacent over the number of children absent from school, I am pleased that Lancashire's school absence figures are lower than the national average in all categories and compare very favourably with similar local authorities across England.”