Peer relationships can impact on school attendance. Positive or negative interactions with peers can influence a child or young persons desire and ability to attend school regularly.
Impact of Peer Relationships on School Attendance
Positive Peer Influence
Support Systems: Positive relationships can provide emotional support, making children and young people feel more connected and engaged with school.
Academic Motivation: Friends who value education can encourage each other to attend classes regularly and perform well academically.
Negative Peer Influence
Bullying and Harassment: Experiences of bullying, whether physical, verbal, or cyber, can lead to school avoidance due to fear and anxiety.
Social Exclusion: Feeling excluded or isolated from peer groups can result in decreased motivation to attend school and participate in activities.
Peer Pressure: Negative peer pressure to truant school or engage in harmful behaviours can lead to increased absenteeism.
Social Anxiety
Fear of Judgment: Children and young people with social anxiety may fear judgment or rejection from peers, making the school environment stressful and leading to avoidance behaviours.
Performance Anxiety: Concerns about participating in class or extracurricular activities due to fear of failure or embarrassment can also affect attendance.
Transition Periods
Changing Schools: Moving from primary to secondary school or transferring to a new school can disrupt existing friendships and make it challenging to form new ones, impacting attendance.
Developmental Changes: Adolescence brings significant social and emotional changes, which can affect how children and young people interact with peers and their comfort level in the school setting.
Strategies to Support Positive Peer Relationships and Improve Attendance
Anti-Bullying Programs
Clear Policies: Implementing and enforcing respectful relationship policies to create a safe and respectful school environment.
Preventing and responding to bullying | Bullying | Resources | Education Scotland
A summary of anti-bullying resources | Bullying | Resources | Education Scotland
Awareness Campaigns: Running campaigns to educate children and young people about the effects of bullying and the importance of kindness and inclusivity.
Peer Support Systems
Buddy Programs: Pairing new or vulnerable students with peer buddies to help them integrate and feel supported.
Examples of peer support schemes (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)
Peer Mentoring: Establishing peer mentoring programs where older students guide and support younger ones, fostering positive relationships.
Peer Education Project Scotland | Mental Health Foundation
building-effective-peer-mentoring-programs-intro-guide
Social Skills Development
Workshops and Classes: Offering workshops and classes that focus on developing social skills, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.
Group Activities: Encouraging participation in group activities and clubs to help students build friendships and a sense of belonging.
Better Relationships Better Learning Bettwe Behaviour
Counselling and Support Services
School Counsellors: Providing access to school counsellors who can work with children and young people on issues related to peer relationships and social anxiety.
Mental Health Support in Schools – Dumfries and Galloway Council (dumgal.gov.uk)
Peer Mediation: Training children and young people in peer mediation to help resolve conflicts and improve the school climate.
Restorative approaches – Peer mediation | Resources | National Improvement Hub (education.gov.scot)
Parental and Community Involvement
Parental Education: Educating parents about the impact of peer relationships on attendance and how they can support their children in building positive relationships.
Community Partnerships: Collaborating with community organisations to provide additional support and resources for students facing peer relationship challenges.
Community Learning and Development (CLD) | Sector | Learning in Scotland | Education Scotland
Youth Work in Schools – Dumfries and Galloway Council (dumgal.gov.uk)
Inclusive School Culture
Celebrating Diversity: Promoting and celebrating diversity within the school to ensure all students feel valued and included.
Pupil Voice: Involving children and young people in decision-making processes and school activities to give them a sense of ownership and belonging.
Learner Participation in Educational Settings (3-18)
Monitoring and Early Intervention
Attendance Tracking: Closely monitoring attendance patterns to identify children and young people who may be struggling with peer-related issues.
Early Intervention: Providing early intervention and support for students who exhibit signs of social difficulties or absenteeism related to peer relationships.
