The most recently published attendance data from the Department for Education shows that that on average, in the last academic year, more than three in ten secondary school children in Sunderland were “persistently absent from school”.
The figures, which were published at the end of May, showed for the academic year 2021/22, 31.9% of secondary school children had an absence rate of 10% or more - the benchmark for persistent absence.
This compares to 27.7% nationally.
Persistent absence is the percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of the mornings or afternoons they could attend.
Overall absence rates in Sunderland secondary schools were also above the national average with 10.2% of all possible mornings and afternoons missed by children compared to 9% across England.
It's a situation which "concerns" Sunderland City Council’s new Cabinet Member for Children, Learning and Skills, Councillor Linda Williams who stressed the Council will "use a range of legal sanctions available to secure improvement" in attendance levels across the city.
Links between pupil attendance and attainment could not be more stark with the most recent DfE report showing 83.7% of pupils who missed no sessions in Year 10 and 11 attained GCSE grades 9 to 4 in English and maths compared to 35.6% of pupils who were persistently absent.
As well as publishing attendance data for the city as a whole, persistent and overall absence figures for the last academic year have also been released for individual schools.
Here is a breakdown of the data for Sunderland secondary schools listed in order of schools with the least persistent absences to those with the most.
9. Biddick Academy absence rates
Biddick Academy had a persistent absence rate of 32.4%, which is above the Local Authority average of 31.9% and the national average of 27.7%. Overall absence was 10.7% which is above the Local Authority average of 10.2% and the national average of 9%. | Google
10. Thornhill Academy absence rates
Thornhill Academy had a persistent absence rate of 34.3%, which is above the Local Authority average of 31.9% and the national average of 27.7%. Overall absence was 11.3% which is above the Local Authority average of 10.2% and the national average of 9%. | Google Photo: Thornhill Academy
11. Academy 360 secondary school absence rates.
Academy 360 had a persistent absence rate of 34.5%, which is above the Local Authority average of 31.9% and the national average of 27.7%. Overall absence was 10.1% which is below the Local Authority average of 10.2% and above the national average of 9%. | National World
12. Southmoor Academy absence rates
Southmoor Academy had a persistent absence rate of 34.7%, which is above the Local Authority average of 31.9% and the national average of 27.7%. Overall absence was 10.6% which is above the Local Authority average of 10.2% and the national average of 9%. | National World Photo: Southmoor Academy