Does your child suffer from sniffling? A must-read guide for every parent on when kids SHOULD go to school and when they should stay home

Children should go to school even if it bothers them, the government is urging parents to do so tackling absenteeism.

Under the slogan 'moments matter, attendance counts', the campaign includes NHS tips on when children should stay at home.

For example, the health care system says it is 'fine' to send young people to school with a mild cough or cold. “But if they have a fever, keep them out of school until the fever subsides,” it adds.

Sore throat and conjunctivitis are also among the diseases that do not justify absence unless the child has a fever and is unable to do schoolwork.

The Ministry of Education guidelines aim to tackle the Covid-era practice of keeping children away with runny noses.

Parents often feared that they would contribute to the pandemic if they sent their sick child to school.

Figures show that the number of secondary school students consistently absent in England has doubled in the past decade, with almost 900,000 students having at least 19 days off in 2021.

Following the same government advice, officials acknowledged that some children will leave because of fear.

Dozens of studies have shown how lockdowns have hampered children's development, with children appearing more worried and anxious, losing self-confidence more easily and being more prone to tantrums after pandemic restrictions are eased.

But the advice is: 'Being at school can often help alleviate the underlying problems.

A longer period of absence is likely to increase, rather than reduce, a child's anxiety about going to school in the future.”

Education Minister Gillian Keegan said: 'The benefits of our success in raising education standards can only come if all children go to school.

“Tackling attendance is my first priority.

'We want all our children to have the best start in life, because we know that going to school is crucial to a child's well-being, development and achievement, and also influences future career success.'

The campaign pointed to advice from England's chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty.

It said: 'We are aware that the Covid The pandemic may have made some parents less confident in assessing whether their child is healthy enough to go to school. That's why we've put together some information that we hope you'll find useful.

'There is broad agreement among health and education professionals that school attendance is essential for the life chances of children and young people.

'Being in school improves health, well-being and socialization across the life course. The biggest gain comes from children and young people regularly going to school.'

It added: 'It is generally appropriate for parents and carers to send their children to school with mild respiratory illness.

'This includes common cold symptoms: a mild cough, runny nose or sore throat. However, children are not allowed to go to school if they have a temperature of 38 degrees or higher.'

It comes as rates of winter illnesses, including flu, Covid and norovirus, continue to rise.

Analysis has long warned of an increase in persistent school absenteeism across the country due to the pandemic.

In the spring semester of last year, one in five children (21.2 percent) was persistently absent, missing a day for fourteen days or more.

In the 2018/2019 academic year, this figure was 10.9 percent.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan (pictured) said: 'The benefits of our success in raising education standards can only be seen when all children go to school. Addressing attendance is my first priority. We want all our children to have the best start in life, because we know that going to school is crucial to a child's well-being, development and achievement, and also influences future career success.”

NHS guidance entitled 'Is my child too sick to go to school?' states that children with mild complaints, such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, can go to school.

However, high fever and fever are valid reasons for children to be out of class.

Vomiting, diarrhea, chickenpox, impetigo and scarlet fever are also acceptable causes of absenteeism.

But conjunctivitis isn't – just consult a pharmacist and encourage your child to 'avoid rubbing their eyes' and 'wash hands frequently'.

Likewise, students with cold sores should attend, provided they try 'not to touch the blister or kiss anyone', and also avoid sharing cups and towels.

Teachers must be informed about anything that could be contagious.

Both the Government and the Labor Party this week outlined their different approaches to reducing school absenteeism.

Labor shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said yesterday that children 'only get one chance at school'.

She told the BBC on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I think parents who choose to take their children out of school for holidays or trips or where it is not necessary should think seriously.

'Because that damages the life chances of children, they only get one chance at school, they only get one childhood.

“For parents facing additional challenges, and for children facing additional challenges, a new Labor government will ensure we provide the support needed to address that.”

Other government measures to tackle absenteeism include doubling the number of 'attendance centres' that provide best practice advice to other schools and expanding a mentoring program supported by the charity Barnardo's.

Intensive one-to-one support is provided to students who are persistently absent, in addition to work with their families to find out why the child is truant.