The many benefits of school attendance

GPs know the benefits for children of regularly attending school – not just for their academic needs, but also for their mental and social health

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on the RCGPs

School attendance is one of the best ways to protect a child’s mental and physical health, while also laying strong foundations for their long-term wellbeing. Even before the pandemic, levels of persistent absence (misses of more than 10% of sessions) had increased in secondary schools, and this has worsened significantly since COVID. 

The RCGP president represents the sector, working with the education secretary’s Attendance Action Alliance, a group of national sector leaders who work to tackle the underlying causes of school absence. It has pledged, on behalf of GPs, to spread the word on the importance of school and the crucial role GPs play in providing reassurance to children in post-COVID times. It should be more widely known that young people – including those children previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable – face a very low risk of serious illness from COVID. 

Three recommendations for GPs are:

1. Only suggest taking time off school where necessary – and make sure any absence does not become protracted.
2. Remember that many schools now have Mental Health Support Teams and a range of self-help resources.
3. Make it a practice policy to schedule routine appointments outside of school hours wherever possible.

Parents and carers should be encouraged to speak to school staff and seek reassurance for any worries they may have. The Department for Education (DfE) is supporting work to reduce the workload of GPs and has issued guidance to schools that they should not ask parents to seek doctor’s notes to authorise illness. 

There is a growing appreciation of GPs – especially the work they did, and continue to do, during and since the COVID pandemic. The partnerships between schools, GPs, healthcare professionals and children and their families continue to strengthen to support children to remain in school.