Barnet secondary school pupils have the best attendance record in London and the third best in the country, according to the latest figures from the Department for Education and Skills.

For the academic year 2005-6 pupils attended 93.2 per cent of half days, making this the fifth year in a row that the number of days missed by pupils has decreased.

Barnet secondary school pupils missed on average 20 authorised half days and 11 unauthorised half days over the course of the year.

The new statistics also place Barnet in the top three council areas in England, with Rutland and Trafford coming first and second.

Councillor Fiona Bulmer, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: "We have excellent schools and inspirational teachers in Barnet, which makes learning an enjoyable experience for our highly-motivated pupils. I know schools and teachers work very hard to underline the importance of good school attendance.

"That hard work has clearly paid off and I am delighted that Barnet's record is now the best in London. That will help to ensure young people in Barnet continue to achieve excellent examination results and achieve their full potential."

At 94.6 per cent Finchley Catholic High School in Woodside Lane, North Finchley, has the best attendance records for any non-selective school in the borough.

Kevin Hoare, Headteacher of Finchley Catholic High School, said: "We place a strong emphasis upon good attendance and punctuality as an important life skill. The pupils understand our expectations, their parents are very supportive and we have systems in place which monitor trends very closely.

"Pupils are awarded certificates for 100% attendance and punctuality and we have students in Years 12 and 13 who have never missed a day during their entire school career."