School plays a fundamental role in a child’s development and has a big impact on their overall well-being.

       While many children enjoy school and thrive in an environment where they can be with friends and take part in different activities, it is also completely normal for them to go through a phase of mild worry about going into school - perhaps after school holidays, a period of sickness, or due to a fall out with friends - and it can be difficult for parents to know what to do for the best when these feelings surface.

       Before Covid, persistent absence had been decreasing, from 16.3% in 2010/2011 to 10.9% in 2019/2020, according to government statistics. But following Covid, there has been a significant increase in absences from school. The government is working on this, and there are around 380,000 fewer pupils who were persistently absent or not attending in 2022/23 than in 2021/22. But it is still the case that more than one in five children in England have frequently missed school over the last academic year, a figure which has more than doubled, compared with pre-pandemic numbers.

       Department for Education research suggests there are a number of reasons that absence from school has increased. Some children experience severe anxiety, or have complex needs or underlying conditions, that mean that school can be challenging. Where this is the case, parents can also talk to teachers and a healthcare professional, like a GP, if they haven’t done so already for guidance. For many children though, their worry is mild and temporary. In most cases, missing school is likely not the best or only option.

       Doctor Sophie Mort, clinical psychologist and mental health expert at Headspace says: 'It's understandable that children can resist going to school when anxieties are heightened, and it's often hard for parents to know whether to allow them to stay at home or encourage them to feel the fear and go in anyway. Being open and sharing experiences of when you have struggled can help your children.

       "Kids and teens frequently experience a lot of stress and feelings of high pressure, and in many cases, don't yet have the tools to understand or process these complex emotions. And whilst children are navigating the challenges of getting older, school can be a hard place to be both physically and mentally. Perhaps they're becoming more conscious of their appearance, or of their different upbringings, or maybe they just see the world in a different way."

       To help you to gain a better understanding of what could be driving your child's worry and gently encourage them to talk it through, enabling them to keep going to school, there are tips, advice and resources available.

       Heather Hackwood, trust attendance manager at Scholars’ Education Trust, is passionate about supporting parents to gently help their children back into the classroom. She says: "First and foremost, attendance has to be a whole school approach. All staff have a role to play to address attendance from a whole school perspective, actively promoting the link between attendance and attainment.

       "Also, we want our students to feel part of the school community and enjoy the social aspect of school – and regular school attendance will enhance this.

       "The key for us is to make sure we ask the right questions to try and understand why a student is struggling with school. We can then respond to that in a bespoke way, which we do with various strategies. We've had real success in plotting the worries they have against a timeline, from getting up in the morning to going to sleep at night, so we can get a clear picture and try and spot what the recurring patterns could be.

       "Once we've got all that information, we'll then say, 'ok, let's make a plan together' and we will create support plans or emotionally based school avoidance plans with the student. An example of this could be a daily check-in with a pre-assigned member of staff, who they can build a trusted relationship with. We know that students feel supported with checks in place, it makes them feel seen and their views valued.

       "Other examples of interventions include adaptations to the timetable, a time-out card, mentoring support, meetings with parents/carers, sessions with the school counsellor, a buddy system, lunchtime activities, a regulation space or referral to outside agencies.

       "Excellent attendance at school is important to allow our students to fulfil their full potential, enhance life chances for the future, enjoy the social aspect of school, and feel part of the school community."

       Whatever the root cause of your child's worries about school, you’re not alone - and there’s professional support available to help you to help your child tackle their worries and attend school with confidence. Parents can visit The Education Hub, where they can find a list of resources to help.