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<p>We know from evidence that pupils who have regular attendance at school are four
times more likely to achieve five or more A*-C grades at GCSE including English and
maths than those pupils who are persistently absent. This is why the Department for
Education reduced the threshold at which pupils are classified as being persistently
absent, from 20 to 15 per cent of school missed. This measure enables schools to identify
earlier those pupils with troubling attendance patterns, and to do something about
them.</p><p> </p><p>In 2012, we increased the level of the school attendance penalty
fines of £50 and £100 to £60 and £120 respectively; and in 2013 reduced the overall
timescales for paying fines from 42 to 28 days. Our reforms are working. In 2012/13,
300,895 pupils were persistently absent, down from 433,130 in 2009/10. This is a fall
of almost a third. 130,000 fewer pupils were missing 15% of school in 2012/13 compared
to 2010/11.</p><p> </p>
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