Missing school means your child misses out on vital information and maintaining learning routines. This can result in a loss of confidence and missing out on forming vital friendships.
Attendance is recorded each day. As a parent or caregiver you are responsible for ensuring your child attends school every day, including sports days unless your child:
- has an unavoidable medical or dental appointment (preferably these should be made after school or during holidays)
- is required to attend a recognised religious holiday
- is required to attend an exceptional or urgent family circumstance (such as attending a funeral)
- is sick. or has an infectious illness.
If you are having difficulty getting your child to attend school regularly, please contact the school for an appointment.
Our procedures are as follows:
Late Arrivals:
All students who are late to school must sign into the office with a note from a parent/carer or an email to explain the lateness.
This lateness remains as an unexplained absence until an explanation is received.
It is imperative that students sign in at the office when they are late so they are not marked absent for the whole day, and so that in the event of an evacuation or incident they are not viewed as absent.
Early leavers:
If it is necessary for your child to leave early for an appointment, please present directly to the office and we have your child come to the office.
If your child returns to school after an appointment, they should report to the office to sign back in.
Absences explained:
After the rolls are marked each day, a TXT will be sent out to parents/carers of students who are absent. The most effective way to advise of an absence is to replay to this text message, indicating the reason for the absence.
Once the reply is received, there is no need to follow up this notification with a note or an email. This txt reply is sufficient.
Extended leave applications:
With in the Department of Education policy, applications are required to be made for students being absent from school for an extended period of time, which includes family holidays or travel for other reasons, both inside Australia and overseas, during term time. A request for the required application form is to made to the principal. The issuing of a certificate of approval may then follow upon return of the completed application to the principal. It is important for parents/carers to note that the relevant policy states: "a principal should not accept a reason for travelling during school term if it is not in the best interests of the student. Educational, social and participation reasons should be specified on the application". The policy also indicates that travel documentation, such as travel itinerary or e-ticket, should be attached to the application. If the application is accepted by the principal, the absences will be recorded as "L" - Leave. The application form for extended leave may be found here.