What do we mean by sometimes, or occasionally missing school?
This can cover a range of situations, which may include:
- your child attends school, but often feels anxious about going.
- your child sometimes struggles to go into their classroom.
- your child has started missing a day of school now and then.
Understanding attendance and worries
Being nervous or worried about school is a usual feeling experienced by all children and young people at some point, whether they are starting a new school, worried about an exam or after a difficulty with friends.
Sometimes, children might experience more worry than their peers. When this worry is linked to school, they might experience anxious thoughts around attending school or certain lessons.
Your child may be:
- speaking negatively about school
- crying more, or appearing worried or irritable
- feeling unwell on school days
- asking to come home, or not wanting to go to school
- having difficulties separating from you when going to school
- taking extra time getting ready for school in order to delay going
Parent carers are often the first people to notice when a child is worried about attending school. Understanding children’s worries and putting support in place early on, helps children to feel happy and safe in school, avoiding a pattern of non-attendance.
Advice and support
What can I try at home?
Tips and strategies you may want to try at home, and links to useful resources for both parent carers and children and young people.
How can my child's school help?
Find out what your child’s school can do, to help support your child’s attendance.
Who else can help me and my child?
Services in Devon that may be able to offer additional help if your child is struggling to go to school.
Factors that can help school attendance
Key factors and guidance that may influence improved school attendance