Thank you for contributing to the forum.

Your post deserves a fuller response than I can give right now, and I will return to is tomorrow.

Simon

Hi
I get where you are coming from although I think there is probsbly a differrence between yourself, your bad experiences/negative feelings towards school and someone suffering from anxiety who cannot actually get to school. Not all those who refuse to go to school actually dislike it, it is far more complex than that. But you are also right that some who have been bullied or have a negative experince find the school does not understand and so school refusal can set in.

Is there any teacher (or welfare support person) who you feel you engage better with or trust, who you could share what you have shared with us? The school needs to know how you are feeling. Some teachers might not realise and just need to hear it from a student like yourself It might also help others who are feeling similar to you.

It sounds like your school is very big and the bigger the school,the more impersonal they become. Schools do need to be so much smaller and class sizes small so that those like yourself can feel connected and even direct more of your learning yourself. There are some smaller schools where students do enjoy attending and some students don't mind larger schools, but you are certainly not alone in feelings of isolation, frustration and lack of learning anything of significance. You might find, however, that in years to come you look back and find some things you have learnt do have significance later on. Learning a language can be a wonderful experience, so it is a shame you feel it has been lacking. Sometimes teachers can be limited by the large class size or the behaviour of students. You can, if you wanted, so as not to have no French knowledge and feel it was a waste of time, learn this language or another language via on line sites or apps. Then one day if you ever go to France, you will be able to have a much more rich and enjoyable experience as the French really appreciate those who even just try and speak some French.

Tertiary study is very different from school, so don't let your experience of your school put you off doing any further study later. After school, study is much more indepth and interesting and you can specialise in something you are really interested in. Everyone has also matured by then and so it is easy to find others with which you have a common interest.

I hope that there is a chance for a more positive experience in this new year. Have a think about who you might be able to talk to at the school.
Schools certainly need to change on many levels.
Meanwhile...check out the French learning apps, sites.....find a science competition to enter, write your own short story, paint a picture, teach yourself guitar, watch documentaries by Brian Cox, help someone in need, volunteer somewhere, cook a meal and perhaps you won't feel so much as if you are just filling in time until you leave school, What you learn outside school can also help what you are able to put into your last years of schooling.
Take care and take steps to share how you are feeling with someone at the school or outside the school.
Linda

I am sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to this. The plague has struck our household.

However, it has been an interesting few days in the press, and there are some relevant articles on schools and schooling that I wish to comment on.

The first, which I will come back to later, concerns parents who take their children out of school so that they can enjoy cheaper holidays.

The second is appropriate to your comments regarding the relevance of some of the teaching. Apparently, in Scotland, which is where I live, many young people are opting out of school, or classes, because the curriculum does not suit them. I do not pretend to understand the complexities of 'Curriculum for Excellence', and indeed it seems many teachers do not either! Some have two sets of exams in a year, others have none. Some sit in classes with two year groups studying for different exams in the same subject. It is not a system designed to give confidence to those who are, perhaps, lacking in it and are struggling to make the best of what is on offer.

Related to that was the need for pupils to be taxied between schools to find courses that suit their ambitions. One girl was quoted as attending classes in 4 different schools! Where I live, the nearest schools/college are 40 minutes away, but still pupils travel to the nearest college to gain their qualifications.

This will only work where the individual motivation is high, and requires a lot of committment.

The third topic concerns increasing numbers of pupils remaining in school for 6th year. This maybe because of the issues mentioned above, or it may reflect higher standards of achievement. However, the point made was that more 6th year students means less resources for younger pupils. If 6th year students are using the music room computers, then it is harder for 4th and 5th year to gain access to build their composition portfolios. I recognise this issue from when my son was still in school. The same applies for art and design pupils. We are fortunate in that we were able to give our daughter a laptop, which she could take into school, but many are not.

Today's story concerns the lack of teachers, with many posts having to be re-advertised as they go unfilled. There was a story after the exam results of one school that had a total failure in one subject because the school had been unable to fill a specialist post and the supply teachers had not been able to reach the required standrd.

So...

What should a student do when faced with all these difficulties, some of which you hint at?

Opting out may not be the best option, as what else is there? But if you can find an alternative way to fulfil your dreams...

I said that there was one article that I would return to. Last summer, a parent was fined for taking his daughter out of school for a trip to Florida. (Would he have been treated the same if they had holidayed in London?) The government is considering a formal tariff of fines for those who do not attend school. This will affect all those who think that they have a justifiable reason, and will reduce flexibility of schools that do choose to take a relaxed approach.

Today, I have asked users of this site to consider signing a petition to 'Stop penalising children with medical conditions for their attendance'.

The screw is turning harder and harder on those families who struggle with school attendance. We need to ensure that our evidence supporting our children's situation is well documented and recorded.

Good luck.

Hi:

You seems very thoughtful and Intelligent. I agree with Linda. Your reasons for not wanting to attend school might be different from those of traditional school refusers. For you, like in our son's case, it is more of a waste of time and about resistance to control. I agree mostly with what you have said. In a world where I can get answers instantly online, when it takes a whole hour of class to teach you so little, one has to wonder if the education system has advanced fast enough to todays needs.
You I think would relate well to Prince EA. Have you seen his stuff? Particularly this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PsLRgEYf9E

I think you are going to do just fine.