A ZERO-Tolerance campaign has been launched in Hartlepool to cut down on the more than 1,000 pupils who miss school each day.

The campaign, which is particularly aimed at primary schools, involves clamping down on condoned absence, where children take time off unnecessarily with the consent of their parents.

It will also combat unauthorised absence, as well as lateness, which can result in children missing vital parts of lessons.

On any one day an average of 1,040 pupils are absent from schools in Hartlepool, which is seven per cent of the town's school population.

Of those children, 160 are missing from school without permission.

On average, during the school year 3,000 children in Hartlepool, miss school without permission for at least one half day.

Although authorised absences have seen a reduction of 21 per cent and unauthorised absences a 12 per cent reduction, from 1995 to 2000, there is still work to be done on the matter.

There are similar problems in Stockton, where 7.7 per cent of the school population is absent from school on any one day, as well as Redcar and Cleveland, where the figure is 8.3 per cent, and Middlesbrough, where ten per cent are missing.

The main aim of the zero tolerance campaign is to work with parents to tackle the problem, but Hartlepool Borough Council will consider prosecuting parents who refuse to comply.

The measures to be tried out are to include authorised absence passes in secondary schools and the introduction of truancy-free zones.

Another of the initiatives being used in the campaign is an incentive scheme at the town's Throston Primary School.

The class at the school with the highest percentage attendance over a month gets to look after George, a stuffed orangutan.

Jean Hart, headteacher said: "Since I came here in 1997, we have made great strides, however, there is still some way to go and we feel that we can still do better."

The school also ensures that it works closely with parents by keeping in touch with them through regular newsletters.

Miss Hart said: "Parents are now beginning to trust us and we are all pulling in the same direction - to ensure our children get the best possible education.