What if a parent and child disagree about going back to school?

[Kokeshi123]

What if the parents are fearful and want to keep their kid at home, but the kid is desperate to see friends?

What if the parents want their child in school, but the child is fearful and says they don't want to go?

Obviously, a child can't force a parent to homeschool them, but an older well-motivated teenager could conceivably do online schooling without any parental help.

Is there an age where we would let the child have the final decision?

Just wondering what would/will happen. I don't know any actual real life cases that are like this.... yet.

I think every family will have to make their own decision on this one, it's going to be different for everyone.

In primary school it’s a parental decision. My Year 1 DS would I’m sure love to go back next week but unfortunately he has a medically vulnerable sibling. My decision as a parent is that it is too soon for our personal circumstances.

One thing we, and many schools, are having to do is make clear to parents that although we can be friendly and encouraging, we won't be able to physically take children from adults (Y1 and YR) so it's only children that are able to come in independently of their parents that can be accommodated at the moment due to our risk assessments. There are probably two or three in each class that this will affect.

Well, I guess it would fall under gillick competence in a way (obv not exactly the same) - if a child would be deemed capable to make an informed decision about their own medical treatment, they could make one about their risk?

Is there an age where we would let the child have the final decision?
Who is 'we'? Parents? Schools?

My year 3 will be going back to school when I send her - which will be when it opens for year 3 or as a keyworker child if year 10/12 go back before then since I'm a secondary teacher. If she refused to go, I'd treat that the same as refusing to do homework, tidy her room, etc. Luckily she's keen to go back.

If I had an older teenager, I'd probably give them the choice unless there were unusual circumstances (eg shielding household member) or I knew they wouldn't do any work at home. My parents are allowing my 18 year old sister to choose whether she goes back this month (different country) and I certainly appreciated the independence my parents gave me to make a lot of my own decisions.

My Y1 child may have wanted to go back but doesn’t know that is an option because we have made the decision without mentioning it. We feel this is the best choice for our whole family.

I want my yr2 child to go back when able. He doesn't want to as he says he's scared. I know I can make him go, just like I can make him tidy his room etc, but I don't know if it's in his best interest to. Or whether to wait until Sept and risk him making it even bigger in his head.