Every minute counts!
It’s not just the full days off that can impact a child or young person’s time at school.
Need to know
- Arriving at school with time to settle gives students the best start to the school day.
- If your child worries about being away from their family while at school, reassure them that you are safe.
- It isn’t easy for families when children or young people don’t want to go to school. Remember you are not alone and there is help available.
Being just a few minutes late in the morning can set your child or young person back for the whole day. It’s lost time they can’t get back.
Some children and young people worry about their families when they’re not with them. It is important to reassure your child or young person that you’ll be safe while they’re at school.
If they do stay home, try and avoid making it more fun than school.
It’s not easy for families, and you might find yourself becoming frustrated. Fixing these issues takes patience and time. Be open to getting help and know that you might need to change your approach to find what works best for your family.
When your child or young person arrives at school with time to settle, it gives them the best start to the school day. If your child or young person is late and misses the start of the school day, it can often unsettle them.
Why going to school is important
In addition to learning, going to school provides valuable opportunities to spend time with friends, play sports, be creative, access books and engage in many social interactions.
It is easy to think that missing a few days here or there won’t make a lot of impact your child that much. But missing school days regularly can have a big impact on their overall school journey.
Did you know?
1
day a fortnight = 20 days or 4 weeks a year = almost 1.5 years of school missed
1
day a week = 40 days or 8 weeks each year = almost 2.5 years of school missed
2
days a week = 80 days or 16 weeks each year = almost 5 years of school missed
3
days a week = 120 days or 24 weeks each year = almost 8 years of schools missed.
