EDUCATION bosses today vowed to crack down on serial truants.

Schools Minister Stephen Twigg pledged to encourage local education authorities to support parents who struggle to control their children, at the same time as being hard on those who refuse to abide by school rules.

Annual national figures out yesterday show school attendance is now at record levels, with 17,000 more pupils regularly attending school every day in the last year.

Statistics from the Department for Education and Skills show that in Blackburn with Darwen, the average primary pupil misses 15 days from school, rising to more than 20 for a secondary school pupil.

Around 18 days are lost per primary school pupil in Lancashire, a figure which rises to around 20 for secondary school pupils.

The two education authorities for East Lancashire are already working on a protocol for the issuing of fines for parents who condone their youngsters playing truant.

Both intend to empower education welfare officers and headteachers at the start of next term. Parents of children who truant will initially be fined £50, rising to £100 if not paid within 28 days.

Local education authorities have also already been given powers over absenteeism, and are given termly data to better identify and tackle absence trends.

Other initiatives include truancy sweeps, and school-based educational welfare officers through the Behaviour Improvement Programme, as well as the 'prosecution' scheme.

Mr Twigg said: "Our message that 'every day in school counts' is getting across. Schools are also treating absenteeism more rigorously, challenging questionable reasons for absence, and cracking down on unnecessary term-time holidays.

"However, a stubborn minority of pupils, often with parental collusion, remain determined to jeopardise their education and their futures through persistent truancy.

"We will continue to support local education authorities and schools facing the greatest challenges, with targeted measures that we know work in improving attendance, and expect them to set tough new targets for themselves.

"We will also not hesitate to support schools and local education authorities that use sanctions, such as prosecution and penalty fines, for those parents who are simply unwilling to get their children into school."