Department of Education Fact Sheets and Information

Attendance

Why going to school is important

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day. Attending and participating in school will help your child develop:

• important skills and knowledge to help them learn
• social and emotional skills such as good communication, resilience and team work.

Children who attend school every day and complete year 12 have:

• better health
• better job opportunities
• higher income across their lives.

There is no safe number of days for missing school. Each day a student misses puts them behind.

What to do if your child can’t go to school

Let the school know as soon as possible and explain why your child can’t come to school. Each school will have a preferred way to do this. It may be by phone call, email or app.

If you do not let the school know, they must contact you on the same day to make sure your child is safe. They may also call your emergency contacts. Talk to your school if your child needs to take an extended period of time off. There might be flexible options to keep your child from falling behind.

If your child misses a lot of school

Your school will work with you if your child has more than 5 days of unapproved or unexplained days off in a school year.

If this does not work, your school might refer your child to a school attendance officer. The school attendance officer will monitor and investigate your child’s attendance. You might receive a warning, an attendance notice or a fine.

For more specific information related to attendance at MRC please visit our policies page on the College website:

 https://www.mountridleycollege.vic.edu.au/?page_id=137 

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