A Freedom of Information request revealed the number of pupils referred to the attendance and behaviour team at Havering Council following 10 days of absence from school with no contact from the family.

In 2014/15 there were 144 cases, down from 186 the previous year. In 2012/13 there were 228, 2011/12 134 and 2010/11 183.

Reported by the Romford Recorder. You can read the full story here. 

I am a journalist and author. I am a journalist at the UK edition of WIRED magazine. In 2015, my first book Freedom of Information: A Practical Guide for UK Journalists, was published. My second book Reed Hastings: Building Netflix, was published in March 2020. I created FOI Directory in 2012 and have maintained it in my spare time ever since.