* The Government has ditched its tough truancy target for England, writes Biddy Passmore. In 1998, ministers said the truancy rate should fall by a third by 2002, a drop from 0.7 per cent of all half-day sessions to 0.47. They then set an additional target of a further 10 per cent reduction by 2004. Now the DfES has confirmed that the target has become a fall of just 10 per cent of 0.7 by 2004.
Attendance Task and Finish Group report available on www.wales.gov.uk
