Attendance at primary schools in Ceredigion in the past year was the second highest in Wales fresh figures have revealed.

In 2024/25, attendance by primary aged pupils in schools in Ceredigion rose to 93.3 per cent – higher than any other local authority in Wales.

The latest figures show that across Wales he percentage of half-day sessions missed by primary school-aged pupils has decreased to 7.4 per cent in 2024/25, compared to 7.9 per cent in 2023/24.

The Wales average attendance figure stands at 92.6 per cent, with Monmouthshire leading the way on 93.9 per cent.

The figures also show improvements in the number of primary pupils eligible for free school meals attending school across Wales.

Half-day sessions missed by this cohort decreased to 11.8 per cent in 2024/2025 compared to 12.1 per cent the previous school year.

Persistent absences for primary pupils eligible for free school meals also decreased to 44.7 per cent compared to 46.9 per cent in 2023/2024.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle said: “It is fantastic that we are making progress in tackling school absences, and this improvement reflects our sustained focus on attendance and the investments we've made.

“But we must not be complacent and raising school attendance remains a top priority.

“There are a range of reasons for learner absence.

“Effective relationships between schools and families are essential and there is a lot of good practice already happening across Wales.

“We will continue to work with schools, local authorities and other partners to address the barriers that prevent children from attending school regularly.

“To support this work we have provided £7 million this year to help children re-engage with school.

“We are already seeing the benefits of this investment.”