Most primary and secondary students refused to go to school at least once last year

More than half of primary school pupils and two-thirds of secondary students refused to go to school at least once last year for reasons including anxiety, difficulties engaging with lessons and problems with friendships, according to a new study. The findings, published on Wednesday by the Barnardos children’s charity, show that 59 per cent of primary school parents said their children were worried about going back to school, with the number rising to 70 per cent at second level.Concerns about friendships were the biggest issue for primary (30 per cent) and secondary (31 per cent) pupils, with classwork and bullying also cited as significant issues.The study, conducted annually by the charity, draws on responses to an online survey gathered throughout July. It received 704 responses – 455 – from parents of primary school pupils and 249 from parents of secondary school students.READ MOREThey were asked about their children’s worries, engagement with school, school refusal and absenteeism. “Concerns were more pronounced among parents of secondary school pupils” across all headings, it found. Children in disadvantaged areas and with additional needs were most acutely impacted.The report cites a study published by the Economic and Social Research Institute in February, which found school absences lead to lower educational qualifications and poorer wellbeing in early adulthood.“Over the past few years across our services,” Barnardos said, “we have seen a significant increase in the number of children we support having problems around school anxiety and school avoidance.”Asked how often their children refuse to go to school, 48 per cent of parents of primary schoolchildren said “never”, falling to 39 per cent of parents with children at second level. In all, 30 per cent of primary school parents said their children avoided school “very rarely”, with 28 per cent of secondary school parents giving this response. Nine per cent of primary parents and 28 per cent of secondary school pupils said their child “occasionally” refused, with 10 per cent of primary and 11 per cent of secondary parents saying this happened “frequently/once a week”. Three per cent of parents at primary level and 4 per cent at second level said their children refused to go to school “all the time”. “Over half of primary (52 per cent) and 42 per cent of secondary school parents said the main reason for refusal was anxiety,” says the report. [ Majority of parents say back-to-school costs are a financial burden, survey showsOpens in new window ]Significant numbers (28 per cent at primary level; 37 per cent at second level) of school parents said “school refusal got worse over the past year”. Parents said they wanted “additional supports and guidance” on how to deal with school avoidance. “Some parents reflected that their child faced too much pressure while others suggested more space for children to regulate themselves before going into classrooms.”A primary school parent suggested “a transitional space where I could wait with my child while they regulate enough in order to go to class”.The report devotes a section to the challenges faced by children with additional educational needs. Twenty per cent of primary and 14 per cent of secondary parents said their child was waiting for an assessment for an issue affecting their ability to engage in school. Of these, 44 per cent of primary and 59 per cent of secondary parents said they had been waiting for more than one year.Parents also said the transition into secondary and primary school requires greater attention from schools. “Many [said] that there should have been better inductions and more visits to the schools and with teachers in advance.”