School Bus Used To Get Surrey Truants To Class

A school has introduced a new way of getting truanting pupils to class - picking them up in the school bus.

Harris Academy Merton, in Surrey, has commissioned a new minibus to whip round the homes of teenagers who have bunked off school and take them to lessons, Wimbledon News reported.

Rob Hunter, vice-principal at the school, told the paper: "If some students are more reluctant to learn than others we have a duty to try something different.”

The government has previously promised to tackle truancy. Last August it was revealed truancy rates in England's schools had hit an all time high, prompting schools minister Nick Gibb to promise tougher measures for pupils and parents "who do not abide by the rules".

More controversially, David Cameron announced in November that parents of truanting children may have their benefits cut.

"Yes this would be a tough measure", the PM said. "But we urgently need to restore order and respect in the classroom and I don't want ideas like this to be off the table."