Avoidable absence
If your child is feeling unwell or anxious, it can be difficult to know whether to send them into school. Finding solutions is a team effort between schools, parents/carers and children. But there is support and information available to help you make the best decision for your child.
Mild illnesses
It’s usually safe to send children to school with mild illnesses, like a minor cough, runny nose or sore throat.
But children should stay at home if they have a high temperature of 38C or above.
Read the NHS guidance to help decide if your child is well enough to attend school. It gives information about common childhood illnesses and conditions. For example; coughs, colds, chickenpox, measles and headlice.
Mild anxiety
Children sometimes feel a bit worried about going to school. This is a normal emotion. It’s important to recognise that going into school can help them worry less than if you let them stay at home. If your child is anxious over several weeks, talk to the school about how they can support you. Schools can plan and support parents around ‘Emotional Barriers to School Attendance’ (EBSA).
Persistent and severe absence
If a child that's registered at a school often fails to turn up, we refer to them as ‘persistently’ or ‘severely’ absent.
The school day includes two sessions. One session counts as a morning or an afternoon spent in school.
- A child that misses more than 10% of school sessions is 'persistently absent'.
- A child that misses more than 50% of school sessions is 'severely absent'.
Children with SEND
We know that some children face greater barriers to attendance. Long term medical conditions or special educational needs and disabilities, for example. Schools should have sensitive conversations with any children facing complex barriers to attendance. Working with the child's family, the school can work to put support in place. You can find details in the national 'Working together to improve school attendance' guidance.
Support may include reasonable adjustments for pupils with disabilities. There could also be help where mental health issues are affecting their attendance.
The new guidance introduces new attendance codes. These will help understand patterns and barriers to attendance. They'll also track any children on a part-time timetable, or absent because transport hasn’t been provided.