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We understand that attendance can be affected by many factors, including health, anxiety, routines and family circumstances.

Our approach is supportive and focused on working with families to help children attend regularly and feel settled, confident and ready to learn.

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If attendance begins to fall, school will:

get in touch to understand what may be affecting attendance

listen to any concerns

offer advice and support

work with families to agree next steps

The aim is always to support children back into regular attendance.

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We aim to speak with families early if attendance starts to slip. Early conversations help us understand any underlying concerns and allows us to put the right support in place quickly.

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Support may include:

listening to concerns and offering guidance

agreeing small, manageable steps to improve attendance

support with routines or transitions

involvement from pastoral or attendance staff

signposting to additional services where appropriate

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It may help to contact school if:

attendance is becoming difficult

routines at home have changed

your child is feeling anxious about school

you are unsure about illness or attendance

Contacting us early allows us to work together to support your child.

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Supporting good attendance works best when families and school work together.

Families can help by:

encouraging regular attendance where possible

letting school know about any concerns or changes

working with school to agree next steps if attendance becomes a worry

School will:

listen to concerns and offer support

keep families informed about attendance

work with families to agree support

review attendance regularly

Attendance can change over time, and support can be adjusted as needed.

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Being in school regularly helps children feel settled, confident and ready to learn. Regular attendance supports learning, friendships, routines and emotional wellbeing.

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Attendance can change over time. The ladder below shows how small amounts of absence can add up across the year and how close your child is to the expected level of attendance.

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Small amounts of absence can quickly add up across the year.

Click on the image to enlarge.

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At High Meadow, every day matters. Being in school helps children build friendships, grow in confidence and develop strong learning habits that set them up for success.

This Attendance Padlet brings together helpful guidance, practical support and key information for families in one place, so you can easily find what you need.

If you’re ever worried about attendance or feel your child is finding school difficult, please talk to us as early as possible - we’re here to listen and to help.

You can contact Miss Waters via email at

admin2569@welearn365.com or by phone on 01675 462312.

Working together makes the biggest difference for our children.

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Being on time helps children start the day calmly and confidently.

Please click on the image to enlarge.

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Some children find mornings easier when routines are clear and visual.

This simple routine can be used at home to help children know what comes next and support a calm start to the day. Families can adapt it to suit what works best for them.

Click on the image to enlarge.

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We understand it can sometimes be difficult to decide whether your child is well enough for school. This section offers guidance to help families make confident decisions, while keeping children safe and well.

We expect children to attend school every day when they are fit and healthy enough to do so.

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Ask yourself:

Is my child well enough to take part in the school day?

Do they have a fever, vomiting or diarrhoea that means they need to stay at home?

If unsure, have I checked NHS guidance or spoken to school?

These questions can help you make a confident decision.

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Please keep your child at home if they:

have a fever

have been vomiting or had diarrhoea (children should stay off for 48 hours after the last episode)

are too unwell to take part in normal school activities

have a confirmed infectious illness and have been advised to stay off

This helps protect other children and staff and supports a safe return to school.

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Children can usually attend school if they:

have a mild cold, cough or runny nose

are feeling slightly tired but otherwise well

are recovering from an illness and are able to manage the school day

Returning to school can help children settle back into normal routines and feel part of the day again.

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NHS guidance on illness and school attendance

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NHS guidance on illness and school attendance

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The NHS provides clear, trusted guidance to help parents decide when children should stay at home and when they can return to school after illness.

Click on the image to view the full NHS guidance.

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If you’re unsure whether your child should attend school, please contact us. We are happy to offer guidance and discuss what would be best for your child.

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Some families find it helpful to:

prepare bags, uniform and lunches the night before

set alarms to allow for a calm start

aim to arrive a few minutes early rather than right on time

Small routine changes can make mornings feel less rushed and more positive.

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Sometimes families benefit from additional support alongside school. This might relate to routines, behaviour, anxiety, attendance or changes at home.

If you feel extra support would be helpful, please contact us so we can work with you to explore what might be right for your family.

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KS2 doors open at 8:35am

EYFS and KS1 doors open at 8:40am

Registers are taken at 8:45am.

Arriving on time helps children feel settled and ready to learn from the start of the day.

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Arriving on time helps children start the day calmly and confidently. It allows them to settle quickly, begin learning straight away and feel part of the class routine from the start.

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If a child is regularly late, school may get in touch to understand what might be making mornings difficult and to offer support. This could include talking through routines or agreeing small next steps together.

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School can offer support by:

listening to concerns and offering guidance

providing pastoral or wellbeing support

helping families access additional services where appropriate

working together to agree practical next steps

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When your child says they don't want to go to school

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When your child says they don't want to go to school

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It’s common for children to say they don’t want to go to school at times. This can be linked to worries, friendships, tiredness or changes at home.

This short guide from Place2Be offers practical advice and ideas to help parents respond supportively.

Click on the image to view the full guide.

If this feels familiar, school is here to talk things through with you.

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Place2Be: Parenting Smart: My child doesn't want to go to school

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Is your child struggling to go to school? Parenting Smart experts have some tips to help them and avoid long term school avoidance.

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Support for school anxiety and emotional wellbeing

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Support for school anxiety and emotional wellbeing

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Some children experience anxiety or emotional difficulties that make attending school harder. This can affect sleep, routines or willingness to attend.

The following trusted organisations offer practical advice and guidance for families:

YoungMinds – School anxiety and refusal

Action for Children – Coping with school refusal

Click the links above to access the full guides.

If any of this feels relevant, please contact school so we can support you alongside this guidance.

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It's normal for children and young people to feel worried about something that's happening at school - for example, when starting a new school or during exams. Sometimes, however, school can become challenging, stressful or distressing over a much longer period of time.

If your child is feeling anxious about school, or not able to go, it can be exhausting for both of you. Mornings in particular can become really stressful for the whole family, as you try to juggle your child's feelings alongside the need to get them to school and get on with your other responsibilities such as work. Even if you manage to get your child to the school gate, you might know how difficult they're going to find the day - or know that you'll be facing the same problem tomorrow morning.

If you're in this situation, we've got 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.

Young people can feel anxious about school for lots of different reasons. They might be worried about making friends or fitting in, find schoolwork or lessons confusing, feel pressured to learn in a certain way or find their relationships with teachers difficult.

Sometimes, going through difficult experiences outside of school - such as bereavement, an illness in the family or being a young carer - can also make it harder for a child to feel settled at school.

For some young people, the school environment isn't right for them, and trying to fit into it can create a huge amount of stress. This might be the case if they are struggling with their mental health, or have a neurodiverse condition or Special Educational Need (SEN) such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia. This can make the school environment anxiety-provoking and exhausting, especially if their condition or need is undiagnosed or not being well supported.

Young people might show they're feeling anxious about school by:

not wanting to get up and get ready

saying they can't go

worrying a lot about small issues, such as having the right equipment for a lesson

feeling sick, or having stomach aches or headaches

not sleeping well

not doing schoolwork, or their grades dropping

being angry or upset, or acting out - at school or at home

withdrawing - seeming low, quiet or depressed

It's often difficult for your child to articulate the problem. They may be in a heightened state of stress and not know why or feel able to explain. Your child probably wants to feel able to be in school, just as much as you want them to be there. In many cases it just doesn't feel possible.

Sometimes it can be difficult to work out what's making your child feel anxious, and the first step is often helping them to identify exactly what's worrying them. Once you understand the problem, you'll be in a much better position to make changes that can help.

Young people can find it hard to explain what's causing their feelings, and might not be able to answer direct questions like 'what's going on?' Using an anxiety iceberg can help to open up the conversation - giving you a more relaxed way of exploring together what's causing their anxiety.

Watch our video to find out how to make an anxiety iceberg with your child.

If you're making an anxiety iceberg with younger children, you might want to draw images on the iceberg, or encourage them to write simple words. With older children and teenagers, you can ask them to write key words and phrases on the iceberg, or do this as a mind map, with 'school' in the middle and all the things they're finding difficult around the outside.

Through this exercise, you might identify worries such as arriving at school, finding the environment noisy or overwhelming, finding lessons confusing, feeling lonely through the day, or feeling uncomfortable during specific subjects.

Once you understand what's going on for your child, you can use their anxiety iceberg or mind map to communicate with the school and ask for specific changes.

Follow these steps to start a conversation with the school:

Here are some examples of things you can ask the school for:

Remember that even though this situation can be really tough for you and your child, it's a good idea to maintain a positive relationship with the school. Recognise the support they're offering and any changes they're making. This will help you work together to make things better for your child.

Building a relationship with the attendance team at my son's school was hugely helpful, we were talking with them each day.

If your child isn't going to school at the moment, it might feel incredibly stressful and tiring. You might be worried about when they will be able to get back to school or the impact on their education. Or you might feel overwhelmed because you're juggling this alongside work and other family commitments. Things are probably feeling tough for your child too.

During this time, it's important to keep working with teachers and other staff to try strategies that can help your child get back to school. Keep encouraging them to take achievable steps towards attending too. When the right support is in place, it's often easier for a young person to get back into their usual routine if they can return to school as quickly as possible.

If your child's anxiety about school has built up to the point where they can't go, it's a good idea to get them some professional mental health or SEN support. Find out how to do this further down the page.

Alongside requesting professional help, try to:

The school's SEN and attendance policies should be on their website. Knowing what these are can support you during meetings with the school.

This can help if your child is unable to go to school for a longer period of time and you need to ask for more support, including provision of alternative full-time education.

Encourage your child to get up, do some studying and stop for lunch at the same times they would if they were in school. This will make adapting back to school easier. Explain to your child that if they cannot go to school, they will need to study at home - at least until alternative arrangements are put in place. Ask the school to help you facilitate tasks and activities your child can do and use online resources such as BBC Bitesize.

Not going to school could leave your child feeling really isolated. Make sure they stay connected to the outside world by seeing friends and family, doing activities they enjoy and getting outside for walks and exercise.

Speaking to friends online can be really important if your child is feeling isolated at home. Sometimes, however, you might notice that your child is spending lots of time gaming or on their phone, and that this is getting in the way of important daily activities like spending quality time with family, learning, or sleeping and eating well. If this is becoming a problem, have a look at our guide to gaming or guide to social media for more information and advice.

Local authorities must provide alternative education if a child of compulsory school age is unable to attend school over a longer period of time. If your child cannot attend school because of a mental or physical health issue, the local authority should provide an alternative as soon as it is clear that they will be away from school for more than 15 days (either consecutively or over time). Find out how to request alternative education.

Getting back to school after weeks or months may feel extremely difficult for your child, but you and the school can help make it more manageable. Here are some things you can do to help:

Set small, achievable targets, such as visiting the building outside school hours or attending one lesson.

Request a home visit from a school staff member so your child can check in while feeling safe, see that the school cares and discuss any strategies that might help them.

Ask for a reduced timetable, with regular reviews to discuss building back up at a manageable rate.

Discuss changing classes or sets if your child thinks this would help.

Focus on qualifications needed for what your child wants to do next, perhaps dropping a less relevant GCSE to reduce stress.

My son wasn't questioned about his absence when he did feel able to pop in for favourite lessons, helping to ease him back into full days of education.

If your child is struggling with anxiety and it's affecting their day-to-day life, learning or relationships, it's a good idea to find some professional support. Speaking to the GP and finding them a counsellor or therapist are two good places to start. You can find more information about GPs, counsellors and other mental health services in our guide to getting support from mental health services.

If there is no other obvious reason for your child's inability to attend school, they may have an undiagnosed Special Educational Need (SEN) such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.

If you think this is the case:

Speak to the school's SENCO or your GP to ask for a referral for an assessment.

While you are waiting for an assessment, you can also ask the SENCO to refer your child for support from other professionals, such as an Educational Psychologist or Speech and Language Therapist. These professionals can identify specific needs and make recommendations for additional support the school can put in place - even if your child hasn't had a formal diagnosis yet.

SEN support at school
If your child is diagnosed with SEN, extra support and adjustments should be put in place at school to help them attend and learn. This is called SEN support, and should be available within the school's existing resources. Speak to the school's SENCO in the first instance about how the school will support your child.
Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
If you do not think your child's needs can be met by the school's existing resources, you can ask the local authority to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC needs assessment). If the local authority decides your child needs additional support, they will then make an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). This outlines how the extra support they need will be provided. Find out more about EHC plans.
Your Local Offer
Your Local Offer is the information, support and services available for young people with SEN, and for their parents and families. You can find out what support is available in your area by going to your local authority's website and searching for their Local Offer.

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

We have more tips and advice on supporting your child with school, and information about how you can get in touch with our Parents Helpline.
This page was reviewed in December 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with school anxiety. We will next review the page in 2025. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support

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If your child is anxious about school, or refusing to go to school at all, read our tips and advice on how you can support their mental health.

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Understanding anxiety, attendance and additional needs

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Understanding anxiety, attendance and additional needs

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Sometimes attendance is affected by anxiety, emotional wellbeing or additional needs.

The following trusted sources offer guidance for families:

NHS – Anxiety in children

KIDS – School anxiety and SEND

GOV.UK – Help with getting your child to go to school

Click on the links above to access the full guidance.

These resources can be used alongside school support. If anything here feels relevant, please talk to us so we can work together.

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Looking after yourself as a parent or carer

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Looking after yourself as a parent or carer

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Supporting a child can sometimes feel tiring or overwhelming, especially when worries affect attendance or wellbeing.

This resource from the Anna Freud Centre offers practical ideas to help parents and carers look after their own wellbeing.

Click on the image to access the full guide.

Looking after yourself can help you feel better equipped to support your child.

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Ways to put yourself first

Give yourself permission

It is very easy, as a parent or carer, to prioritise the needs of your family and others ahead of your own wellbeing. But taking time for yourself is not selfish. Everybody needs space to unwind and relax, and giving yourself permission to take some time to recharge your batteries means that you will hopefully have more energy and patience to meet the needs of your family. Start by trying to give yourself 10 minutes each day where you can just sit down, have a cup of tea and take a breather.'

You often get told to give some time for yourself. This doesn't need to be outside of the house. You can do this however you want, even if its going to the next room and eating some chocolate. '

Be kind to yourself

If you're looking at this page there's a pretty good chance you're struggling at the moment. It may be that you also feel bad about yourself and feel as if you're failing. If this is happening it can help to have a think about how you 'talk' to yourself. We're sometimes much harder on ourselves in our own thoughts than we would be to anyone else we speak to. Imagine that it's a friend who's in your situation right now instead of you. How would you comfort them? How would you encourage them? Can you speak encouragingly to yourself too?
'When things aren't going well, I often blame myself. I'm learning to notice when I do it and to try to be kind and gentle with myself. I tell myself I'm doing my best instead of that I'm failing.'
Ways to get things done

Make a to-do list

At times you might find that your 'list of things to do' can build up. This could be general errands, shopping for vital items, or general admin. If these tasks are weighing on your mind compile a to-do list that you can tick off as you go along prioritising those activities which need to be done that day or week. This includes setting aside quality time with your children and time for yourself. Just seeing everything written down may help make things seem more manageable and identify things which really aren't urgent. And remember it is fine and healthy to sometimes have a downday.
'I've had to learn how to not feel guilty about not getting everything I wanted to get done. A mixture of self-compassion and having realistic expectations to begin with.'
Ask for help

Asking for help from others can sometimes feel as if we're failing as a parent or carer but parenting can be tough and reaching out for support is nothing to feel ashamed of. Whether it's minding your child for a short time to allow you to get things done or running a small errand for you, friends and family will often be happy to help and children and young people can also benefit from knowing there are other trusted adults in their life that your family can turn to. Depending on the age of the child, you can also ask them to complete age-appropriate tasks to help around the house to relieve you of some of the everyday tasks.
'It's so important to take help where you can. Try to be specific about the help you need and when you need it as this will often help others know what is required and how they can help.'
Ways to look after yourself

Maintain energy levels
'Making time to exercise is really important even if its just walking around the block with your baby in a pram.' 'My partner would often have to work late so every now and again I would ask a friend to babysit whilst I slept upstairs knowing my children were safe and entertained downstairs.'
Looking after your physical health can have a positive impact on your mental and emotional wellbeing. A healthy and balanced diet can help how you feel physically and avoiding certain foods can help if you're feeling low or anxious. Regular exercise doesn't need to mean running 5ks but may include regular walks,

or visualisation.

Prioritise sleep
'It's important to have your own voice and to not let others tell you what you should be doing or what you need.'
Balanced sleep is really important for good mental health but it can also be a really useful self-care tool for when you need a break to get away from your thoughts or situation for a bit. Trying to establish good sleep routines for your children can be the first step to giving you time at night to relax and allow you to get a good night sleep for yourself. This may be harder with babies and infants but even with older children you may benefit from allowing yourself a power nap in the daytime whilst they are at school.

Ways to stay connected
'As much as I love my phone and everything I use it for, I feel like I'd be much less anxious without it.'
Check in with friends

Maintaining good relationships with friends and family is one of the most important factors in maintaining good mental health. New 'parent friends' can be great for both you and your children but sometimes old friends are the only ones who you can really confide in, have a laugh with, and make you feel better about yourself. Of course, meeting face-to-face may not always be possible but scheduling a regular call once your children are in bed or doing their homework can make all the difference.
'Doing something that I love and that I've loved since before I had children helps me to feel energised and more 'myself'. It's good to remember who I am outside of being a parent.'
Say 'no' to things

Often when we're struggling, it may feel hard to balance how we're feeling with the expectations that may be placed on us by ourselves or our family. There is lots of advice about setting healthy boundaries and interpersonal effectiveness worksheets online which can help you communicate your needs without seeming aggressive or feeling guilty about neglecting the needs of others. Remember you have the right to say yes or no without having to explain your reasons.

Ways to create free time in your diary

Sometimes a 24/7 engagement with instant messaging and social media can feel a bit relentless and stressful. Some people say they stay on devices out of habit. Just as you might limit your children's time on devices, try to set a time when you will put the phone down and unwind with your family. You can also curate your social media by only following accounts that make you feel good and blocking or ignoring accounts which may make you feel angry, low or depressed. Limiting use of devices can also help you have 'good sleep' which in turn can help with your energy levels and mental wellbeing.

Remember your passions

Before you became a parent of carer, you may have had hobbies or passions which have fallen by the wayside. Finding time to engage in activities which you enjoy can boost your self-esteem and have a positive impact on your own wellbeing. Whether its baking, crafting, creative writing, or drawing and painting, there are many activities you can do at home that needn't cost too much and can give you a sense of pride when the activity is complete. Of course, you may prefer to join a choir or local drama group or even just taking time to listen to music that you like rather than what your kids like can prove beneficial.

Additional support

Whilst self-care is important, it is important to recognise that if you are struggling as a parent or carer with your mental health and wellbeing that you know that there is help and support out there for you. Your GP should be able to offer help and support and, if necessary, refer you to an adult mental health service. Where possible, try to talk to a trusted friend or relative so they are also aware of how you're feeling and can check in on you. The below organisations also offer crisis support for parents and carers:

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Guidance on the importance of self-care for parents and carers

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Some families benefit from additional help alongside school, particularly where attendance is affected by wellbeing, anxiety or wider family circumstances.

Local services can offer advice and practical guidance to support families through periods of difficulty. School can help families explore whether this may be appropriate and how to access it.

Support may include:

attendance and wellbeing services

Early Help

local family or parenting support

These services work alongside families and school to help children feel settled, confident and ready to attend.

You can find out more about local attendance and wellbeing support through Warwickshire County Council.

Click the link above for further information.

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Accessing support is a positive step. Support services work alongside families and school to help children feel secure, confident and ready to learn.

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We recognise and celebrate good attendance in a range of ways across school. Our aim is to promote positive habits, pride and perseverance in line with our learning powers.

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Each week, the class with the highest attendance in each phase is awarded the attendance trophy in assembly.

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Children who achieve 97% or more attendance each half term receive a Good Attendance Badge.

We also recognise the most improved attendance each half term with a certificate of recognition.

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Children who achieve 100% attendance for a full term receive a 100% Attendance Badge.

Children who achieve 100% attendance for the full year receive a personalised attendance trophy.

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We also celebrate progress and improvement in attendance. Recognising effort helps children build positive habits and resilience over time.

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If you have any questions or concerns about attendance, please contact the school office and ask for:

Miss Waters
Attendance, Well-Being and Inclusion Lead

or

Miss Wilkes
Early Help Lead

📧 admin2569@welearn365.com
☎️ 01675 462312

You can also speak to your child's class teacher.