Why Some Children Fall Behind At School?

**Collaborative post**

Not every child is a high flyer so don’t worry if you don’t have the next Mark Zuckerburg or Elon Musk in your family. But if you have noticed that your child is falling behind in their learning, you should consider the possible reasons why. We have listed a few of them below, so have a read, and then consider the suggestions we offer. 

Who knows, by overcoming the issues presented here, your child could be inventing the next great social media platform in no time!

Why Some Children Fall Behind At School

#1: They are unhappy at school

There are tell-tale signs that your child might be unhappy at school, including sullen behaviour and a myriad of excuses to stay at home. Why would they be unhappy? Well, the fact that they have to go to school is a reason to feel miserable for most kids, but there could be specific issues that are bothering them. Bullying, peer pressure, and academic struggles are three of the most common. 

What should you do? Talk to your child of course and get in touch with their teacher too. Hopefully, they will address any issues and give your child the support they need. If you are unsatisfied with their help, you should go higher up the school ladder (not the one owned by the caretaker). Talk to the headteacher, the board of governors, and even your local education authority if your child’s needs aren’t being met. 

#2: Their special educational needs aren’t being catered to

Lots of children have special educational needs. These can include dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism, or problems with their sight or hearing, as examples. In most cases, schools will have a support system in place to deal with these, but if your child’s needs have gone undiagnosed, this could be why they are falling behind at school. Getting a diagnosis for your child if you belive they may have additional needs may seem daunting but the school and other professionals are on your side to help, by providing all the information you need from reading materials to testing and then helping to create an individual care plan as no two child’s needs are identical. There are many companies around which can help too – Lexxic being one of these who can help. 

Being Dyslexic shouldn’t be overlooked and it is actually a little more common than once thought – did you know that Richard Branson, Keira Knightly & Stephen Spielberg are all Dyslexic? and that:

• There is more than one kind of dyslexia?
• You don’t have to be born with dyslexia?
• Dyslexia often runs in families?

I certainly didn’t!

What should you do? Talk to your child’s teacher and share your concerns with them. They can arrange for the necessary tests for your child, and if they are diagnosed with a special educational need, systems should then be put in place to help them. If no help is forthcoming, refer to the last point or move your child to a different school. Within the specialist learning environment of an SEN school, your child will have the expert support they need to boost their academic performance. Homeschooling is another option if you would rather move your child out of the traditional school environment.  

#3: They aren’t getting enough sleep

You know how hard it is to get through your schedule after a bad night’s sleep, as you won’t have the physical or the mental energy to cope well with the things you have to do. Your children are no different. If they don’t get the required amount of shut-eye a night, they won’t have the cognitive ability to concentrate on their school work.

What should you do? Make sure your children go to bed at a decent time, of course. This is easier said than done, we know, but here are some tips to improve your child’s bedtime routine. We have more articles on sleep and bedtime on our website so browse our site for more useful tips. 

These are just some of the reasons why children fall behind at school. Can you relate to any of them? If so, follow our suggestion and then look for more detailed advice online.