Sir, Kevin Brennan is right to affirm that “unauthorised absence does not equal truancy” (“Truancy rate hits a record level as schools reject ‘weak’ excuses”, Feb 27). But whatever excuses are made to explain the growing numbers of children skipping class every day — some 63,000 — more must be done to re-engage those pupils who are persistently absent from school. They are not the young people that are late or taken on unauthorised holidays. They are the ones who for a multitude of reasons are choosing not to engage with education and indeed represent a major problem for the UK economy, not to mention increasing costs to the education sector.

More research must be done on why young people skip school. For example, recent statistics show that 46 per cent of school non-attendance is related to bullying. In our experience young people who skip school, for whatever reason, very often lack long-term aspirations, motivation and confidence. They can also struggle with the learning styles frequently employed by formal education.

To tackle truancy effectively conventional education must be complemented with more informal learning methods. Young people with chaotic lifestyles need to receive additional support to identify their long-term goals, boost their motivation and increase their confidence. Last year Fairbridge worked in close partnerships with schools to support 450 young people of school age who were regular and persistent truants. Nearly two out of every three referrers reported that their pupils’ attendance improved after receiving our complementary education.

Nigel Haynes
Director, Fairbridge, Supporting Inner City Youth

Sir, Mick Hume (Comment, Feb 26) argues that much of what is classified as bullying in schools today is no more than argy-bargy. He doesn’t seem remotely bothered about classifying himself as a part-time bully in the 1970s, and his use of the word argy-bargy (lively discussion, in my dictionary) only serves to minimise the problem of bullying in schools today.

As a head of Year 7 in a girls’ school (and the mother of two teenage daughters), I am only too aware of the very real anguish and distress caused by varying levels of bullying. It may not seem much to Hume, but being ostracised, receiving abusive e-mails or texts, and being called offensive names all lead to some degree of emotional upset. Of course we don’t send every victim or bully off for professional help, but we do take every incident seriously, no matter how trivial it might seem. We don’t allow this sort of behaviour at work; why should we turn a blind eye to it in schools?

Mick Hume seems very out of touch with what is really happening in schools today.

Liz Bell
Hemel Hempstead, Herts

Sir, To Mick Hume “argy-bargy” is not bullying. Tell that to the poor child who is on the receiving end. Mr Hume is more than welcome to attend my karate classes and see for himself the delicate children whose parents bring them to me so I can help them.

As a victim of bullying myself throughout my childhood, my heart bleeds when I hear of yet another victim. Bullying is, in no uncertain terms, violence. And violence breeds violence. Do your homework, Mr Hume, and stop writing such offensive nonsense.

Simon Morrell
St Asaph, Denbighshire

Explore Letters

• Feedback