School attendance
Help with getting your child to go to school
Your child might not want to go to school for several reasons. For example, it could be because they:
- Feel anxious
- Are falling behind in their schoolwork
- Have fallen out with a friend, or miss a friend who has moved away
- Don't feel motivated at school
- Are being bullied
If you're having trouble getting your child to go to school, tell the school as soon as possible so that they can work with you to help your child.
Try and understand why your child doesn't want to attend school. You can find information about school anxiety on the JustOneNorfolk website. This includes advice on:
- Talking to your child about why they don't want to go to school
- Helping them overcome the difficulties they're experiencing
It can be difficult to convince a child to go somewhere that makes them feel anxious or negative. It's still important to encourage your child to go to school — these feelings might get stronger the longer they're absent from school, making it harder for them to return.
What to do if your child is being bullied
If your child is being bullied, keeping your child off school will not resolve the issue.
Talk to your child's class teacher. They will work with you to support your child and resolve the situation.
Some cases of bullying can take a while to resolve. It's essential your child continues to attend school to avoid any further issues — like falling behind in their schoolwork.