TRUANCY detectives who track down missing children are boosting attendance “significantly”, schools claim.

Canvey Island Infant School, Canvey Junior School, Castle View and William Read teamed up to hire two part-time attendance ambassadors. They contact families or even visit homes if a child’s absence has not been reported.

They also promote punctuality by standing at the gates of different schools each morning.

A joint statement from the schools reads: “They also make telephone calls, liaise with each school’s attendance officer and work collaboratively to familiarise themselves with the children and families of the four schools.

“By building relationships with families, they will be able provide support, especially to those who have children in more than one of the four schools.”

Canvey Schools Partnership confirmed the ambassadors have been CRB checked and have “extensive experience” in the areas of attendance, educational welfare and social care.

The began work last week when pupils returned from half term.

A spokesman for the four schools said: “The participating schools already have good attendance, which is at least in line with national averages – but we want to do better than that and ensure every child who can be in school, is in and is learning.

“Our ambassadors started last week and already we have seen a significant improvement in the attendance of those students that were visited.”

They added the scheme follows a similar model to one used by a multi-academy trust in Thurrock.

Have you been visited by attendance ambassador? Share your views on the scheme by contacting sean.axtell@nqe.com