Despite Education Bradford's valiant effort to once again turn the negative news of increased absenteeism at local primary schools into a positive by attributing the rise to the strict way unauthorised absences are recorded, the statistics reflect a depressing situation.

If around 6,000 pupils are recorded as being absent from Bradford's schools on any one day, whether they have merely missed registration or spent the entire day out of school, it suggests that they - and their families - are not taking their education seriously enough.

It is small wonder that this district is floundering in the primary-school league tables when so many children miss out on their education either because they play truant, or their parents keep them off school to go shopping or to take them on holiday in term time, or for any other reason - except genuine illness.

Education is vital if children are to stand a chance of fulfilling their potential and finding work in an increasingly competitive jobs market. It is vital, too, if Bradford is to secure its future by being able to offer the sort of able, educated workforce that employers need.

Children who stay away from the classroom are generally the children who go on to fail at school and, too often, to fail in life as well unless they put in a supreme effort to catch up later on. Surely their families don't want that for them.

It is the families who hold the key to Bradford's educational success or otherwise. Too many of them still need to take their responsibilities seriously.