Craigieburn Secondary College Newsletter

Attendance News

Welcome back to term 2! It is in these still challenging times that there is an opportunity to reflect on, celebrate and focus attention on some key points for improving student attendance.

  • Let’s celebrate the many great things that our students are achieving at CSC like success in our sports events and learning programs.
  • We are here to help students and families with extended absences due to Covid-19 or medical/family leave by issuing a student extended absence plan; teachers are emailed to provide continued learning support via Compass lessons, resources, learning tasks, and email if a student is well enough to do so, we encourage them to stay engaged in their learning. However, no students will be penalised for not attending due to Covid-19 isolation requirements or being unwell to continue to learn from home.
  • While attendance across each year level was steady in term 1 (average 85%) it was still below the 90% attendance policy that the college and Department of Education and Training (DET) require for students to be achieving academically, socially, and emotionally at school. We are currently averaging an 83.94% attendance rate at this date and time, term 2.
  • We understand the DHHS reporting, Covid_19 testing and close-contact requirements changed in Oct 2022, but please continue to test for Covid_19 if a family member or your child has symptoms and stay at home if unwell. Please inform the school so that we can provide continued learning during any isolation periods. For more information and advice visit https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/ or Checklist for COVID cases | Coronavirus Victoria or If you have COVID-19 | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
  • More and more families are engaged in their child’s attendance by tracking their child’s attendance in classes via Compass.
  • More and more families are reporting absences daily using Compass Attendance Notes or contacting the college and when possible, providing medical certificates/specialist certificates – We Thank You for your Promptness!

Tracking Attendance and Data at Craigieburn SC

The Attendance Officer and Executive Officer’s (EOs) roles at Craigieburn Secondary College are to manage and maintain our comprehensive system and method of tracking student attendance, as well as to ensure the use of the attendance data is used to better target students' individual needs and supports. 

 

CSC Assistant Principals, Sub-school Leading Teachers and Managers are updated weekly on the attendance trends across the college. The college prides itself on the use of attendance data to adjust and respond accordingly to students’ attendance behaviours such as unexplained absences, truancy (out of class without permission), students withdrawn from class, and school refusal. We aim high to keep our attendance records as accurate as possible based on teacher roll marking and college operations. 

 

The college has many strategies to support and provide student-family-centred supports around attendance related matters. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s/children’s sub-school to discuss how we can best target and support attendance and engagement matters.

College Attendance Policy

Craigieburn Secondary College has an attendance policy that is in line with the expectations of the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET). We encourage all our students and families to read and familiarise themselves with the Attendance Policy

 

Reminder on the 2023 Department of Education and Training ‘2 Hour’ Rule to be considered Present at school

The Department have introduced a new ‘2 hour’ rule whereby a student needs to be considered ‘Present’ or ‘late’ in class for at least two hours prior to 12pm to be considered ‘Present’ for the AM period attendance coding, and two hours after 12pm to be considered ‘Present’ for the PM period attendance coding. 

This means when a student is marked absent (unexplained) or truant (out of class without permission) for 1 or more periods or a parent/carer explains an absent or a student arrives or departs school early then this period of absence is calculated under the new ‘2 Hour’ rule and counts as a half day absence for the term, which in turn may impact on students’ attendance rates. Parents/carers can see their child’s Term Summary (Days Not Present) totals via your Compass portal Attendance and these absent totals will be displayed on School Reports. Attendance colour coding helps staff, students, parents/carers understand attendance/absence records: Red – unexplained; Orange – explained (approved or unapproved); Blue – School Approved (exempt from 2-hour rule) ; Yellow – Late (explained or unexplained); or Green – Present.

 

The Victorian Government requires that families "let the school know as soon as possible and explain why their child can’t come to school." For more information we recommend parent/carers view the DET Victorian Government's Guide to Student Attendance (website).  

Absences can be explained via the Compass portal website or the Compass app on your smart device or email attendance@craigieburnsc.vic.gov.au or phone 9308 1144 and leave a record message with student name, form and reason for absence.  A guide to entering an Attendance using Compass is as follows:

Department of Education and Training (DET) Recommend an Overall School Attendance Rate of 90%

Students are expected to maintain at least 90% attendance across the school year. We know when students are achieving 90% attendance rates then they are more likely to be achieving academically and are feeling connected to school both socially and emotionally. This is especially important when it comes to Years 10-12, when students are heading towards the end of their school career and are completing one or several VCE and/or Vocational Major/VCAL subjects.  

 

The VCE and Vocational Major/VCAL Administrative Handbook (2022, pg. 72) states, "If a student has completed work, but there has been a substantial breach of the school’s attendance policy, the school may be unable to authenticate the student’s work completed across the outcome". Students and families are reminded to be aware of   the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority's (VCAA) set attendance requirements at senior levels – see the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook for more information. Essentially, it is saying that if a student has fallen below the school's minimum attendance requirements when completing VCE and/or VCE Vocational Major, they are likely to be unsuccessful in completing any affected units of study. 

If you are worried about your child/children’s senior years attendance, please contact the senior school via email or phone on 9308 1144 to discuss this further as they can help. 

 

The Attendance team are pleased to announce that more and more absences are reported daily by families, and more families are using Compass to enter absences. We thank you and are grateful for this; however, we still have some students with absences requiring Explanation. To be meeting the requirements under the Education and Training Reform Act, parents/carers must promptly report absences; this can be done via Compass, email, phone, by note, or in person; preferably we prefer our parents/carer to record the reasons for your child's absence on Compass. 

 

The college attendance data is communicated directly to the Department Education and Training (DET) daily and is used by both the college and the DET to plan initiatives and programs to support your child’s/children’s educational journey. Please refer to Compass for any outstanding absences and update absences accordingly by using one of the following options to explain lateness or absences and/or request attendance & engagement support.

If possible, email or provide Medical/Dental/Specialist Certificates on return to school. It is also important that if your child/children test positive for COVID-19 or is a close contact, that you inform the college. For the latest COVID-19 Cases and close contact information visit Checklist for COVID cases | Coronavirus Victoria

 

“We know when absences are explained, we can best target learning, social and emotional supports for our students and/or families. We thank you for explaining absences and engaging with the college around your child’s/children’s attendance.”

Supporting Your Child's Attendance

The list below are examples, but not limited to, what DET suggests is helpful advice to support families in improving student attendance. 

  • Talk to your child about school and how important it is. You can ask them how they feel about school, what they liked and if there are any problems at school
  • Reward good behaviour and not bad behaviour. For example, if your child refuses to go to school, do not let them have access to their phones or the internet, reward them when they have demonstrated good behaviour
  • Set good examples and model how to be committed to responsibilities 
  • Encourage your child to take on hobbies that your child enjoys such as sports and clubs. This will help them develop positive relationships outside of the classroom
  • Have a set time to do homework and go to bed and to have leisure time
  • Leave all technology out of their bedroom and set healthy routines
  • Pack their school bag the night before with everything they need
  • Have a set time for breakfast and going to bed at night
  • Plan to meet up with a friend so they can travel to school together

Please remember we are here to help, if you require any attendance and engagement support, please contact the relevant sub-school via the Compass Email Portal or phone 9308 1144.

   

   Source: Figure 1 - Queensland Department of Education

 

“Young people must take it upon themselves to ensure that they receive the highest education possible so that they can represent us well in future as future leaders.” ~ Nelson Mandala

 

We aim for KINDNESS and A LOVE OF LEARNING, CURIOSITY and HUMOUR with RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, ACHIEVEMENT 

in our learning CSC COMMUNITY!

 

 

    In the meantime, many thanks in advance for your time, feedback, and support.