Some typical examples from the many reasons for children missing their school lessons, taken from the Log Books of local Victorian schools, are shown on this page.
Still, these jobs probably turned out to be useful later on...

The three extracts shown here read -
December 2nd 1895 - "A good many children are absent, some cider-making, others at work for their fathers".
May 31st 1895 - "Very small school. Boys helping with sheep washing".
July 21st 1893 - "School work progressed as usual during the past week. Many children absent picking mushrooms".
They were obviously much too busy to have time to go to school !
But there were lots of other excuses available...

School ? No time for that...