School attendance drops

Katanning and Kojonup high schools have recorded lower attendance rates in the past year, prompting calls for stricter tracking of students.

The Education Department's annual report revealed there was a rise in the number of students missing school across the State, with 1076 students of compulsory school-age whose whereabouts were unknown compared to only 835 the previous year.

According to the schools' 2014 annual reports, Katanning Senior High School experienced a 5.82 per cent drop in attendance, while Kojonup District High School saw a 2.1 per cent decrease between Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Shadow education minister Sue Ellery said something needed to be done to reverse the trend.

"A 28.8 per cent increase of children whose whereabouts are unknown means the Barnett Government needs to get serious about strategies to improve attendance," she said.

Department Statewide Services acting executive director Martin Clery said there were many reasons for students to go missing from schools.

"These can include transiency when students whose families regularly move locations, families moving interstate and overseas without informing their schools," he said.

Mr Cleary said the department had already improved its tracking systems by increasing their badged attendance officers from 435 in June last year to 902 in June this year, and enhancing student attendance reporting to give schools better information about newly enrolled students.

"The earlier the risks are identified, the easier it is for school staff to create plans that will keep students at school," he said.