Some children may be resistant to go to school due to a feeling of anxiety.

Please see our resources for helping children with anxiety, linked below:

Young Minds - School Anxiety and Refusal

If your child is anxious about school, or they are unable to go to school, Young Minds has advice to help you explore what’s going on with your child, make changes at school that can help, and find the support you need if your child can’t go to school.

Their website provides a wide range of useful information including:

• What makes young people feel anxious about school
• Making changes at school
• Strategies you can try at home
• Helping your child return to school after an absence
• What to do if your child isn't able to go to school at the moment

Website: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/school-anxiety-and-refusal/

School Refusal

When anxiety builds up to the point that a young person cannot go to school, this is often called ‘school refusal’ – and you might hear the school or other professionals using this term. However, many young people and parents do not like this term because it implies that ‘refusing’ school is a choice, and you may prefer to use terms such as emotionally-based school avoidance (ESBA) or anxiety-related absence.

What is Emotionally Based School Avoidance?

Many children and young people worry about school. This is normal. Anxieties are part of life and learning to deal with them is part of growing up. However sometimes a child’s worries may lead to difficulties attending school. If your child has high levels of anxiety and does not want to attend school, they may be experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

Hampshire County Council - Attendance Guidance for Parents/Carers

The Hampshire County Council guide for attendance includes the following information:

• Your responsibilities as a parent
• What to do if your child is unwell, and longer absence through illness, injury, or medical condition
• Why high attendance is important to your child's education
• Family holidays and school holidays
• Possible penalties for non-attendance, including Penalty Notices (fines)

Website: https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/behaviour-attendance-parents

"By law, all children of compulsory school age (normally five to 16) must receive a suitable full-time education. As a parent, you have a legal responsibility to make sure this happens – either by registering your child at a school or by making other arrangements to give them a suitable, full-time education. Once your child is registered at a school, you are legally responsible for making sure they attend regularly. This means your child should not have sessions of unauthorised absence."

GOV.UK - School Attendance and Absence

The government website details the basic information and rules surrounding school attendance, as well as advice regarding legal action to enforce school attendance, and help with getting your child to school.

Website: https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence