SCHOOL attendance records in one of the North-East's largest education authorities have surpassed expectations.

Attendance at schools in County Durham in 2003-4 was the highest ever, with 91.87 per cent at secondary level and 94.35 per cent in primary schools.

A new absence target for both secondary and primary schools set by the Department for Education and Skills for 2007-8, of 6.83 per cent, was exceeded four years early.

Councillor Neil Foster, county council cabinet member for education, said: "One of our top priorities over the years has been to ensure that young people attend school and get the best possible start in life.

"Since 2000, the county council has invested more than £3m of its own money into achieving that goal and, by working with schools and the local communities, we've increased attendance year on year since 1998 in secondary schools.

"We've also been heavily involved in pioneering anti-bullying work where we are now a leading authority in the country, as well as helping other particularly vulnerable children and young people."

Maureen Clare, the county council's head of access and inclusion, said: "Truancy in the secondary sector had halved by 2002 and improved even more in 2003 to stand at 0.69 per cent.

"All these efforts paid off and our total absence figure in both primary and secondary for all absences in 2003-4 was 6.8 per cent."

She described it as "a fantastic year for attendance", but hopes it can be improved on in future years.