Rationale
The Education 'General Provisions Act 2006' requires that children of compulsory school age* must be enrolled and attend school on every school day. (*Schooling is compulsory for children from 6 years and 6 months until they turn 16, or they complete Year 10 (whichever comes first).
Aims
- To maximise student learning opportunities and performance by ensuring that students attend school regularly and without unnecessary absences.
- To prepare students and instil a work ethic that reflects workplace standards.
Implementation
- Education is a sequential process. Absences often mean students miss important stages in the development of topics, causing them to find 'catching up' difficult.
- Absenteeism contributes significantly to student failure at school.
- All students are required to attend school unless reasonable and valid grounds exist for them to be absent.
- Each parent of a child, who is of compulsory school age, has the legal obligation to ensure their child is enrolled and attends school on every school day for the educational program in which the child is enrolled, unless there are valid grounds. eg, Illness, Emergency Family Matters or Essential Medical Appointment. Please note: Family Holidays should be scheduled during school holiday periods.
- Parents of students who are to be absent are required to provide a written explanation (via any of the following: text message, Qparents or email) to report the absence. Parents who telephone to report an extended absence must also confirm this in writing and preferably provide medical certificates/documentation in cases of extended illness/absences.
- Teaching staff, Year Level Coordinators, Heads of Department and Deputy Principals are responsible for monitoring and investigating student absences.
- Relevant staff member will make every attempt to contact parents if communication from parents is not forth coming.
- Independent students not living with parent/ carer, are also required to provide notes and supporting documentation.
- Unexplained or inadequately explained absences will be deemed as unauthorised or unjustified absences and staff will communicate with parents and student to implement strategies that will resolve the problem.
- Students who fall below 85% attendance will be required to show cause and attend a meeting with support staff.
- Ongoing unexplained absences or lack of cooperation regarding student attendance will result in a formal attendance conference being organised. Unresolved attendance issues of post-compulsory students* may result in withdrawal of credit from subjects or ultimately cancellation of enrolment for failure to participate in a program of instruction. Unresolved attendance issues of students required to attend will result in formal notification by the Principal to gain consent from the Regional Director to prosecute. (*The post -compulsory participation phase starts when a young person stops being of a compulsory school age ie they turn 16 or complete Year 10 —whichever comes first).
- The Principal will ensure class rolls are marked each period by teachers, and regular reports provided to monitor attendance patterns.
- Department of Education and enrolment auditors may seek student attendance records.
- Student attendance and absence figures will appear on student reports. Accumulated student attendance data is reported to Department of Education and the wider community each year as part of the annual report.
Evaluation:
Ongoing monitoring will occur as a part of the school's evaluation processes and through feedback of all parties involved.
Student Procedures:
Students are expected to arrive on time for the start of each lesson and have the required material for that lesson. Attendance is marked in the first 10 minutes of each lesson.
Form Class:
- Students arriving late to school must move directly to their Form class.
- Students attending school instead of being on a SCHEDULED EXCURSION or an OFF CAMPUS activity are to report to the office upon arrival to school.
- Form teacher will record late arrivals and non-attendance on compass.
- Form teacher will 'validate' reason or provide a consequence for non-validated reasons.
Period 1
- Students arriving late to school must report to the office to sign in and receive a 'late arrival' slip.
- Student absence or late arrival to period 1 will be followed up by the classroom teacher.
Periods 2, 3 and 4:
- A '5 minute' warning bell is sounded at the start of the day and prior to the end of each lunch break. Students are required to ready themselves for class and be at the class on time for the scheduled starting time of the lesson.
- A second bell will sound to signal the start of class time.
- Class teacher will record late arrivals and non-attendance on Compass.
- “Late" is defined as having no reason acceptable to the classroom teacher for not being in attendance by the scheduled start of the lesson.
NOTE: Students arriving late with non-validated reasons can expect to receive a disciplinary consequence from their classroom teacher. Repeated late arrivals and non-attendance will be reported to Heads of Department for action. Students are required to catch up with work missed during their absence.
Whole Day Absence:
Students recorded as absent from school must have their absence validated by a parent /carer through any of the following:
Early Departure Process:
- Parent to contact school prior to departure with student name, time and reason for leaving early.
- Attendance note is generated on Compass.
- Student presents to office before departing school ground to be signed out on Compass.
Parent contacts school requesting early departure for student.
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Attendance note is added in Compass.
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Note: No student will be permitted to leave school grounds without an official 'LEAVE PASS'.