Parents are responsible for West Midland and Staffordshire school pupils taking extra time off by writing notes so that they can skip classes for holidays and shopping trips, figures show.

Latest statistics show that youngsters across primary and secondary schools in one of the worst offending authorities, Sandwell, lost 411,000 days of schooling in 2007/2008. More than three quarters of these days off – 79 per cent – were authorised by parents, a total of 324,690.

In Dudley pupils lost 319,978 days as nationally children were off sick, but also on cut-price mid-term holidays or days out.

Sandwell has one of the highest rates of authorised absences in the country and while some sickness figures are genuine, the council acknowledges a problem.

In the 2007/08 school year there were 140,000 days taken off by secondary school pupils for which notes were provided by parents and 186,000 by primary children – 326,000 days in total.

In Dudley authorised absences were 263,225 days.

For the same period 86,310 days were lost by Sandwell pupils truanting with 56,753 days lost in Dudley. Latest league tables, produced in February 2008 showed that at Key Stage 3 – tests given to 14- year-olds –Sandwell is second from bottom nationally – 148 out of 149 councils.

A Dudley Council spokesman said: “Attendance levels in primary and secondary schools are on the up year on year. ”

Staffordshire County Council said 372,503.5 days were missed at primary schools in 2007-2008, equating to 4.84 per cent absence. In secondary schools the ratio was a little higher, with 527,030.5 days missed, equating to 6.62 per cent.

A spokesman said data was was not yet validated by the Department for Children Schools and Families and was therefore, subject to change.