NEW figures show that the number of youngsters playing truant from York schools has rocketed by almost 200 per cent since 1997.

But city education chiefs say the figures do not give an accurate picture.

A written Parliamentary answer has shown 1,667 children missed at least one half day of education in the year ending last march. This compared to only 568 days of unauthorised absence in 1997.

Vale of York Tory MP Anne McIntosh said Labour had pledged a reduction by one-third in school truancies in 1998.

She said: "The rising tide of truancy is yet another broken promise by the Government.

"They once pledged to cut truancy by a third, but it has trebled in City of York Local Education Authority secondary schools since 1997," she said.

Mark Smith, principal education social worker at City of York Council, said the figures did not portray an accurate picture.

He said York's figures for the percentage of total school sessions missed through unauthorised absence, a figure most often accepted as the most accurate reflection of truancy, was below the national average and had fallen last year.

He said OFSTED praised the council for encouraging good attendance.

Updated: 10:51 Tuesday, June 10, 2003