Hi everyone
I am trying to support a few families who have children across later primary and early secondary, where the children are not attending any school or attend very sporadically for low hours (e.g. just a morning, just a 1-3 times a week). So they miss huge chunks of school.
The main reason for avoidance is around anxiety. For most of these children the issue has begun since COVID where home schooling meant they lost their routine and the return to school felt overwhelming.
For most of these families there is either known or suspected autism or ADHD that also contributes to the overwhelm factor, e.g. sensory issues, coping with change, social anxiety.
I understand there is a role for family to encourage school attendance and boundaries may be a factor - but for the families I'm discussing it is not about a child preferring to stay home to chill out or not being encouraged to go to school. Rather I am referring to situations that cannot be resolved purely through being firmer about expectations (e.g. if child forced to attend school -> panic attack -> flee school -> safety concerns until child arrives at a safe address -> and then significant recovery period, child feeling angry at themselves and embarrassed of their reaction and even more nervous about returning to school).
The children I'm discussing are all academically capable but missing so much school is having an impact on their attainment. They are all asking for more work but being offered very little e.g. 1 or 2 tasks per day on Google Classroom, sometimes nothing at all.
Schools are understandably incredibly stretched right now and teachers cannot be asked to provide in-person and online teaching. While I understand the immense pressure already on schools I can't help that we're failing these children because it's a growing number, and where I work there is no decent alternative e.g. online learning or alternative education provision in small groups.
I have tried navigating the supports within school and the wider local authority provision but sadly it still feels like too little available - again I understand both are overwhelmed and under-resourced so I am not blaming - but I am trying to find something that would help these children access a decent quality education.
I am reaching out to hear from teachers and other professionals in case your local area or school have found helpful ways to approach these challenges.
I am also looking for any recommendations regarding online learning options for late primary / early secondary? I know this might not wholly compensate for the learning missed at school and the classroom setting / peer interactions, but I'm open to any suggestions to help minimise the attainment gap.
Any educational websites (e.g. BBC bitesize) or even better if you know of sites that are specifically trying to meet this need of home education for those unable to attend school, but still trying to access national curriculum topics?