EDUCATION bosses pledged yesterday that truancy would not be tolerated, as a woman was ordered to attend parenting classes to improve her child's school attendance.

The Darlington mother was made the subject of a parenting order when she appeared in court after admitting failing to send her daughter to school.

She broke down in tears at the town's magistrates' court after hearing how her daughter had attended 34 school sessions out of a possible 148 in a five-month period this year.

The woman was at the same court earlier this month. Since that hearing, the girl has been to 20 out of 22 sessions.

Magistrates gave the mother a conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £30 costs.

As well as the one-year parenting order, which is supervised by a local youth off-ending team, the mother was told to attend a 12-week parenting course.

Yvonne Rennard, of Darlington Borough Council, told the court that reasons for the girl's absence included missing the school bus and not having items needed for lessons.

The prosecution was the latest in a series across the North-East, as both local authorities and police get tough on truanting.

Durham County Council said yesterday that it had made 30 successful prosecutions in the past academic year - leading to fines totalling £2,080 and costs of £985.

Two parents have been warned that they could face prison if their children fail to attend school regularly.

The education authority's operations manager, Ian Shanks, said: "If a child's educational future is at risk because parents don't accept their legal responsibility, we will not hesitate to take action."

Truancy sweeps were carried out last week in east Durham, including Seaham and Murton.

Ten children were stopped and gave legitimate reasons for not being at school, but three unaccompanied youngsters were returned home to parents.

Teenager answers mum's school plea

A TEENAGE truant, who missed school for months, responded to his mother's pleas to help save her from prison by attending tuition sessions, a court heard yesterday.

The boy's mother, who pleaded guilty to failing to ensure her 15-year-old son went to school in North Yorkshire, could have been jailed by Harrogate magistrates after being warned at an earlier hearing that imprisonment would be considered.

Yesterday, sentencing was postponed until November 26 and bail was extended.

The mother, who has twice been fined for similar offences and has had more than 50 visits from education social workers, was told that the court expected to see her son begin attending lessons.

Magistrates had heard his attendance began to deteriorate when he was 13 and had rapidly gone to total absence.

Yesterday, the court was told by David Griffin, prosecuting for North Yorkshire County Council, that the boy was attending two sessions a week of tuition outside school, arranged by the education authority.