PRIMARY and secondary school in West Berkshire continue to have some of the lowest absence rates in the country, according to latest figures.

The Department for Education revealed that younger children were particularly punctual, with one of the 10 lowest absence rates nationally.

Authorised absence has fallen by almost one per cent since 2012/13, with the majority of schools in the authority rated as 'Good' or 'Outstanding'.

Ian Pearson, head of Education at West Berkshire Council, said: “This is a really positive set of results.

"Good attendance at school is the first step towards ensuring that every child reaches their full potential and I am pleased to see our schools performing so well.

“The fact that our pupil attendance is above average reflects the excellent work being done by staff in our schools, supported by our Educational Welfare team, as well as how much parents and children value their educational experiences.

“Improving attainment in our schools is one of our keep priorities as a council and we have worked hard to deliver this.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in delivering this fantastic outcome and I look forward to seeing an even better set of results next year.”