When my 16yr old DS carries on like this (it isn't often but I can tell when he is faking for a day off) I tell him that it is great that he will be home and I give him a list of chores I expect him to do whilst he is home. More often than not he gets jack of reading what is on the list and chooses to go to school rather than stay home.

I would definitely sit down and have a chat to your son and find out if there are any issues he has with school, his course or anything else. Tell him your concerns and let him know that you would be so proud of him if he could get up & go to his course without too much prompting from you.

Sending you many hugs Dianne... the teenage years are so trying