More school pupils truanting - UK - ITN.co.uk Rising numbers of pupils are skipping school without permission, with new statistics showing the truancy rate rose to 1.1 per cent in 2010/11, up from one per cent the year before. It means that around 62,000 youngsters in primary, secondary and special schools missed sessions without permission on a typical day last year, through truancy, family holidays, illness and other reasons. The figures also show that nearly 400,000 youngsters were considered "persistently absent" last year, because they missed at least a month of schooling. Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the impact of missing this much time on a pupil's achievement should not be underestimated. The effect that poor attendance at school can have on a child's education can be permanent and damaging. Children who attend school regularly are four times more likely to achieve five or more good GCSEs, including English and Maths, than those who are persistently absent," he said.