We know that going to school every day is important for all students. But as a parent or caregiver, it can be difficult deciding if your child is well enough to attend school.

Parents and caregiver expectations

Parents are legally required to enrol their children and make sure they attend school every day.

• Parents play a big role in helping their children do well in school. You can do this by making sure your child goes to school every day and letting the school know if they're sick.
• If your child is unable to attend school you must let the school know the reason why.
• Family holidays or taking time off for extracurricular activities are not acceptable reasons for being absent.

Here is some advice to help you decide when it is okay to send your child to school, when you should keep your child at home, and when you should contact a health professional for advice. This advice is based off in-depth guidance prepared by Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand, which you can view here.

Knowing if your child is well enough to go to school: guidance for parents and caregivers – Te Whatu Ora

My child has mild symptoms that are unlikely to be infectious. Should they attend school?

If your child tests negative for COVID-19 and they do not have any of the symptoms of concern outlined below, there are some mild symptoms that could be caused by a condition or reaction rather than an infectious illness that mean it is okay for your child to still be at school.

Examples include a happy energised child who has mild respiratory symptoms (cough, headache or runny nose) with no fever, their usual hay fever and allergy symptoms (sneezing, stuffy nose or an itchy face), or skin problems that are not infectious, such as eczema or insect bites.

Learn more about these symptoms here:

When a child has symptoms but can still attend school – Te Whatu Ora

If your child has any of these mild symptoms but is well enough to go to school, support them to go and let their teacher know.

When should I keep my child home from school?

You should keep your child home from school if they are:

• too sick to learn and need time to rest and recover 
• have symptoms of concern including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat, skin infections such as school sores, a new rash or difficulty breathing
• have tested positive for COVID-19 (more information on symptoms, testing, and when it is safe to return to school, can be found below)
• a household contact of someone with COVID-19, they develop symptoms themselves and they are testing with a rapid antigen test over a 48-hour period to see if they present a positive result during that time
• have an infectious illness and have been advised to stay home by their local public health team or their healthcare provider.

What if my child is feeling anxious?

Anxiety is a normal response to situations that are new or stressful. Children can feel anxious about school for many different reasons relating to their learning, relationships or things happening outside of school.

Try and find out what is worrying your child and work together with your child’s school to understand and support them to attend school.

When should my child return to school?

As soon as they are unlikely to still be infectious and are well enough to join in with school activities. It is important for your child to reconnect with their peers and get back to learning. If your child cannot manage full days initially, eg due to tiredness, discuss this with your child’s school. 

For more detailed information, we advise you to read the guidance prepared by Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand, which you can view here.

Knowing if your child is well enough to go to school: guidance for parents and caregivers – Te Whatu Ora