THERE is a hard core of truants in Scotland's education system which schools simply cannot touch and school leaders cannot take responsibility for, according to a leading headteacher. Bill McGregor, general secretary of the Headteachers' Association of Scotland (HAS), was speaking after the Scottish Government announced new figures on levels of absence in schools.

He said that the responsibility for making children turn up at school had to remain with their parents: "You can work with pupils who are actually in school but if they don't come at all ... it is very difficult to deal with someone you never see.

"The local authority provides the educational opportunity and the parent ensures the child goes to school. The responsibility of schools is limited," McGregor stresses.

School attendance statistics released last week showed that pupils were more likely to be absent - for whatever reason - if they were from deprived areas, had additional support needs, or were in local authority care.

Although rates of attendance were up slightly on previous years, some 48,000 pupils - or 7% of the total - are absent on any average school day, with an estimated 5,600 of those truanting.

McGregor says the impact of social factors was significant: "We have a society which - in terms of the traditional family structure - is in breakdown."

Large numbers of single parent families contribute to the problem, as the pressure on parents is greater, he adds. "Some have to work, so they are simply not there to know what their offspring are doing, and in some cases the offspring are bigger than the parent and tell them what part of **** off don't you understand?' "Traditionally, Granny played a part in making these things work. But some children now have four grannies and no-one takes the same responsibility any more."

Ultimately, schools can play a part by helping convey the message that education is worthwhile and to be valued, McGregor says. Schools are also playing a role in bringing together other agencies and workers such as health workers, educational psychologists and social workers, he claims.

Technology is also aiding schools, according to HAS, with communications systems allowing schools to text, phone or e-mail parents if a young person fails to arrive at school.

"Computerised attendance records mean we are better at spotting those who bunk off after registration or period three. Pupils also know that if you don't turn up and there's no known reason for it, a call will be made.

I’ve never found parents who say ‘I don’t want to get my child to go to school’, but there are plenty who say ‘I can’t get my child to go’

"That is successful simply due to the deterrent effect. You reduce the numbers who say I'm going to have a go at this and see what happens'.

"What you don't touch is the hard core refuser, who just says: I'm not going to school'. I've never found parents who say I don't want to get my child to go', but there are plenty who say I can't get my child to go'."

Glasgow is among the local authorities which have brought in a truancy call system to help dissuade pupils from bunking off. A spokeswoman said it had been successful, but the council's own experience demonstrates that it too struggles to reach the truly committed truant.

At the city's Lochend Community High, absence levels have been an ongoing concern. In June, a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education reviewed progress and reported that despite "a wide range of approaches", no improvement had been achieved. New initiatives, including automatic telephone calls to parents to alert them to an absence, were also making limited impact. "These measures were impacting on the majority of pupils, but had little effect upon a minority who had disengaged from education," inspectors noted.

However, the school is pressing on, undeterred. Headteacher Gordon Shaw says Lochend's key problem with Christmas leavers who drop out early is far from unique across Scotland. Ongoing work to offer vocationally orientated courses has had an impact, and he is optimistic about the potential of other measures, including working with other agencies.

"There are some youngsters who, for a variety of reasons, become almost disengaged from society but from school in particular," he says.

"Despite the best efforts of my staff, we have found it really difficult to engage with some families. What we are now going to do is more joint work with social work services and our new campus police officer, on early identification of youngsters becoming disengaged in this way."

This work will involve home visits and an uplift service whereby social workers will help ensure pupils are in school even if they don't make it first thing, Shaw said.

A link with the children's reporters department is also being explored, in order to work early on with those who look as if they are likely to be part of the hard core.

Meanwhile, absences due to pupils going on family holidays in term time remain a bugbear for government, and the new figures reveal an average 3600 pupils on holiday on any given day across Scotland.

Some of these will be authorised, but under the rules, that should be the minority as schools are expected to treat such absences as truancy.

The clear tension for parents is that holidays are cheaper during term time. In England and Scotland an initiative with the Association of British Travel Agents is supposed to see association members remind parents about the rules on holidays for school pupils.

One local authority, East Renfrewshire, has gone further, arranging for local firm Barrhead Travel to offer parents discounts on holidays outside of term time.

This has been a success, according to a council spokesman, with the firm sending information to schools for parents in April, when most are booking holidays.

Hugh Dougherty said: "There has been a good uptake on it. People are able to tap into genuine discounts. It has even resulted in fewer financial problems for families; people run up tremendous debts going on holiday and our money advice and trading standards services deal with the fall-out. Those departments have been dealing with fewer problems."

However, the demographics of the area and the fact that many families move to the area in search of high quality education makes it easier for East Renfrewshire than for urban authorities, the council concedes.

"It's become quite unfashionable to take your children out of school and we've reminded people we do count it as truancy," Dougherty adds.

However, he says, East Renfrewshire had also worked hard to create a culture where education was valued. "The message isn't don't go on holiday because your kids will miss a wee bit of school' - it's don't do it because it will disadvantage your children'."

A bid to extend the East Renfrewshire travel scheme across Scotland was being discussed with travel agents by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, but this initiative appears to have made limited progress.

Meanwhile, the government is stressing the need to make early contact with families whose children do not attend school.

At last week's announcement, Maureen Watt, the Minister for Schools and Skills, repeated the mantra of early intervention: "By providing help and support for children and their families from the earliest possible age, we can ensure that youngsters and their parents or carers view education as a positive experience."