Student Attendance
Why is regular school attendance so important?
It’s well-documented that children who attend school daily generally perform better at school and in life. Daily attendance ensures children gain the maximum benefit from their education to optimise future opportunities. A child’s education is deemed 'at-risk’ if their attendance falls below 90% (refer to the Department of Education policy). Early intervention for at-risk children is a proven approach to improving attendance. Read more...
The Education Act requires all children to attend school on-site (or at an educational program of the school off-site) as directed by the Principal. Parents and Guardians are responsible (under the Act) for ensuring their child attends school daily. Students are responsible for:
- Arriving at school by 8:25am each day.
- Moving quickly to the next class at the end of each session and after break times.
- Attending all classes until dismissed at the end of the day.
Late Arrivals
Frequent lateness disrupts learning. Students are expected to arrive at school on time and attend all classes promptly. If arriving late to school, students must sign in at the Student Wellbeing window or in Administration and obtain a Late Pass for their teacher. Parents or Guardians and asked to provide an explanation for late arrivals, ideally through the Compass App. Alternatively, a written and signed note, SMS, or phone call from a is also acceptable. Repeated lateness or lack of explanation will result in further consequences.
Student Absences
Parents or Guardians must provide an explanation via the Compass App, written note, SMS, email or phone call for absences – partial, full day or several days. Please specify the reason and the date/s involved. Written notes are to be handed in to Administration or Student Wellbeing. If your child has seen a medical practitioner, please provide a copy of the Medical certificate. If your child is absent for a prolonged period of time, please contact the Attendance Office as soon as possible. We will request a medical certificate for the duration of absence (if due to sickness or injury) – this is very important if the student has missed exams or assessments during this time.
Student Absences during school terms
We acknowledge that it is not always possible to avoid holidays or similar absences during school terms, but it is our preference that family holidays are taken during term breaks. The Department of Education requires parents to inform us if children are to be absent for extended periods during the school term. Please provide the reason and dates of the absence, ideally via the Compass app. Alternatively, a written and signed note, SMS, or phone call from a parent or guardian is also acceptable. We also recommend checking Compass or consulting with your child’s teachers to ensure they don’t miss any exams or assessments.
SMS Messaging for Unexplained Absences
We use an automated SMS messaging service to advise parents of unexplained student absences and lateness. SMS messages are sent during the day to advise parents and guardians if their child has been marked absent at the start of the school day or in any classes. Any changes to parent contact details must be provided to Administration as soon as possible.
Students Leaving School Grounds
Students are not permitted to leave the College during the school day. However, a Leave Pass will be issued to students when they need to leave College during the day (eg for a medical appointment or if they are unwell during the day). Students must present an explanation from a parent/guardian to leave early before being permitted to sign out in Administration. Unapproved departure from the College grounds is considered as Truancy.
Out-of-Class Movement
Students are expected to be organised during breaks to minimise the need to leave classes. Students will not be permitted to leave a class without a Movement Pass provided by their teacher.