Find out why school attendance is important, and where to get support with attending school.
The lessons your child learns at school go far beyond academics. The friendships they build, the challenges they work through, and their everyday experiences teach them skills for life.
School is where children:
We know getting your child to school isn't always easy. But encouraging them to go, even during difficult moments, builds their resilience and can be rewarding.
When children attend regularly, they're more likely to feel connected to their school community and their peers.
Your child’s future starts at school.
Data shows that pupils with more than 95% attendance achieve better GCSE results.
Missing 2 days of school each month means missing 3 weeks during a school year, and even 90% attendance means 19 days of education are lost in a school year.
| Attendance of: | Means this many days absent: | Which means this many lessons missed: |
|---|---|---|
| 95% | 9 | 50 |
| 90% | 19 | 100 |
| 85% | 29 | 150 |
| 80% | 38 | 200 |
But being at school is about much more than academic success, It’s also a way of:
We understand that in some cases, children and young people may struggle to attend school. There are many reasons why young people may not be attending school regularly, but the most important step to take is to remain in contact with your child’s school.
Find out when your child can and can't miss school.
There are a wide range of resources available which can help support and guide parents, carers and families if their child is struggling with school attendance.
The law requires that all children of compulsory school age receive full-time education. Where a child is enrolled at a school, parents and carers are responsible for making sure that their child attends school regularly.
As a parent or carer, you play the most important role in your child's education and in supporting their attendance.
From starting nursery, parents should teach their children the importance of going to school on time every day. Where there are difficulties, parents should speak to the child's school at the earliest opportunity.
We understand that in some cases, children and young people may struggle to attend school. There are many reasons why young people may not be attending school regularly, but the most important step to take is to remain in contact with your child’s school.
Schools have support available and want to work in partnership with you. Information on who you can contact for help, including the school’s senior leader responsible for attendance, can be found in the school’s attendance policy on its website.
You can read government guidance on:
There are a wide range of resources available which can help support and guide parents, carers and families if their child is struggling with school attendance.
From clinical psychologist Dr Nihara Krause.
Children thrive on routine and during the Christmas break, sleep patterns, mealtimes, and daily structure become looser. This is completely normal, but this shift can make the return to school feel overwhelming.
Start resetting sleep schedules 3 to 5 days before school begins by moving bedtime and wake-up time earlier in small steps. Reintroduce familiar routines such as reading before bed, laying out clothes, or having breakfast at the table. Limit screens for at least an hour before bed, as overstimulation can affect sleep quality.
Keep mornings calm by preparing as much as possible the night before (uniforms, packed lunches, school bags, and PE kits) to reduce stress and set a positive tone for the day. Aim to wake up 10 to 15 minutes earlier on the first day back so there’s no need to rush.
Create a warm, steady routine with breakfast together, a quiet chat, and a moment to check in on how your child is feeling. Maintaining a relaxed tone yourself also helps, as children often “borrow” their emotional cues from adults. A smooth, unhurried morning lowers stress and helps children walk into school feeling steadier and more confident.
Communication is key, so try to keep checking in with your child in the run up to the return to school. Listen carefully to what’s on their mind, and help them break their concerns into smaller, manageable steps you can work through together. This helps them feel supported and understood.
Don’t forget to highlight the positives of returning to school like seeing friends, their favourite lessons and enjoyable routines like after school activities. Normalise their feelings and explain it’s very common to feel a little uneasy shifting routines from holiday mode to back-to-school.