At Renmark High School, we want your teenager to do their very best. To get the best education, they need to go to school every day. The teenage years are a time for young people to develop independence and find their place in the world, including how they take part in their school life. We know that some children may need extra encouragement to attend school regularly. By working together, our school community can address some of the reasons why teenagers may not want to go to school.

Some common problems you may have getting your teenager to school:

• They won’t get out of bed in the morning.
• They go to bed late at night.
• They take a long time to get ready in the morning.
• They haven’t done their homework or are avoiding a test or assignment.
• They are watching television or playing video games before school.

What can you do to help?

• Act early. It is important to understand and work on the underlying reasons why your teenager is not going to school.
• On average, teenagers need eight to nine hours sleep a night to be healthy and alert. Maintaining a daily routine helps. This may include monitoring internet, mobile phone and television use at night to ensure sleep is not disturbed.
• Try not to make appointments or take holidays during school time. This can make it difficult to catch up on missed school work, and cause anxiety about attending school.
• Don’t let your teenager stay home unless they are genuinely sick.
• Don’t let your teenager stay home to finish an assignment that is due. Make attendance the number one priority.
• Have clear expectations about after school jobs. Make sure work does not impact on their ability to get to school each day or interfere with study.
• Encourage extracurricular activities such as sport and creative activities. They can help your teenager develop positive relationships and experience success, helping them feel more motivated.
• Monitor your teenager’s attendance and learning at school. Periodically check with their teachers and Wellbeing Coordinator to find out how things are going.

If your child is not going to attend school, please let the school know by calling Student Services on 8586 6974.