I AM no longer surprised by the level of political debate and comment on education.

This was illustrated by the article last week about truancy levels, where debate in the House of Parliament used figures for unauthorised absence in Ruth Kelly's constituency to criticise High Schools in Bolton West.

As with all of these cases you need to get inside the figures.

Schools in Bolton West are some of the most proactive in the country, not just with attendance, but with dealing with some of the root causes of disaffection and absence. In the two schools I work in, attendance at Rivington increased to over 93 per cent, and at Ladybridge it improved six per cent to over 90 per cent in one year.

Systems across all schools are so focused that we are able to challenge absence whenever it occurs and will therefore easily pick out truants. It would be very easy just to accept excuses and therefore record it as normal absence.

Schools in the West have home-school liaison officers, are able to refuse to authorise absences for long-term holidays, truancy calls to parents, and electronic registration for every lesson. Parents are reminded if attendance drops. Full attendance is celebrated.

We know that works because at Rivington the figure is now at half the national average. So the more thorough you are the more you detect, the more you can tackle the problem.

Ladybridge High is still dealing with inherent problems from the past. Because of the mobility of families in the area, as many as 25 per cent of the school population changes each year. If someone leaves the area but it is not known where they go, we have to record unauthorised absence. In other words, unauthorised absence does not equal truancy.

Children have to want to come to school. That is why schools in the West have developed such exciting curricula with extensive vocational and academic options. Our new construction centre has so far recorded 100 per cent attendance. Similar outcomes are experienced at Westhoughton's hair and beauty programme and Ladybridge's catering course.

But parents also need to recognise their responsibility and as the figures show, the vast majority do.

It might be good political debate to use figures at such a superficial level, but it is at the best inaccurate and at the worst denigrating to pupils, parents, teachers and schools who are already making a real difference.

John Baumber

Rivington & Blackrod High School

Executive Principal

Rivington Lane

Horwich