Truanting and Attendance

‘High School Attendance Issues’ refer to when a high school pupil frequently misses school, often due to factors such as poor mental health, bullying, academic pressure, family issues, learning difficulties, or a lack of engagement with the curriculum, leading to negative impacts on their education and overall development; this can manifest as skipping classes, coming late, or completely absent from school without a valid reason.

Key points about school attendance issues:

Causes:

Mental health concerns: such asanxiety, depression, stress related to exams or social situations
Bullying or peer pressure:Feeling unsafe or excluded at school
Academic challenges:Difficulty with coursework, feeling overwhelmed
Family issues:Home instability, caring responsibilities for younger siblings
Physical health problems:Chronic illnesses, frequent medical appointments
Socioeconomic factors:Poverty, lack of access to support
Disengagement with school:Boredom with curriculum, lack of connection with teachers

Impact:

Academic decline:Missing classes leads to gaps in learning and lower grades
Social isolation:Difficulty maintaining friendships and participating in extracurricular activities
Increased risk of dropping out:Chronic absenteeism can lead to leaving school early

Addressing the issue:

Open dialogue: between families and the school to identify potential issues and develop a support plan
Mental health support: Access to counselling or therapy to address underlying emotional concerns
Addressing bullying: School interventions to prevent and address bullying behaviour
Individualised learning plans: Tailoring education to student's needs and interests to increase engagement

Resources:

School Gates – Truancy Based Worksheets

School gates work sheet.pdf

School gates work sheet A.pdf

Teen Talk - School Gate Recording Sheet B.pdf

Teen Talk - School Gates recording sheet.pdf

cards A.pdf

cards B.pdf

To go or not to go - Worksheets

To go or not to go Worksheet A.pdf

To go or not to go Worksheet B.pdf

To go or not to go Recording Sheet A.pdf