ATTENDANCE at secondary schools in the Vale of Glamorgan were the best in Wales last year, figures show.

Figures released by Welsh Government show that secondary schools in Wales had an overall attendance rate of 93.8 per cent, slightly higher than in the previous year.

But in the Vale of Glamorgan, attendance rates rose to 94.7 per cent, equivalent to more than 7300 extra days of learning, giving it the best attendance record in Wales.

The Vale also has the lowest rate of overall absence that a local authority in Wales has had over the past four years.

Councillor Chris Elmore, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Schools, said: “I’m really pleased to see that the work to ensure high levels of attendance is really paying off, and we’ve seen the impact of this already in this summer’s excellent examination results.

“Our clear ambition is that education outcomes here in the Vale are the best in Wales and match those of the most successful authorities in England and beyond, so it is really encouraging to see the Vale at the top of the table.”