Attendance

EVERY DAY COUNTS

Secondary School attendance

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your teenager’s education. Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.

School is better when your teenager is here

Why it's important

We all want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day. Students develop good habits by going to school every day – habits that are necessary to succeed after school, whether in the workplace or in further study. Missing school can have a big impact on students academically and socially. It can affect their test results, including VCE & VCAL, and, just as importantly, it can affect their relationships with other students, and lead to social isolation. There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes. Each missed day is associated with falling behind in subject topics and assessment tasks, and lead to fewer subject choices and may impact on achievement in Years 11 and 12 and post-school pathways.

Getting in early

It’s never too late to improve attendance. Even in the middle years, when school can seem the most challenging for students and when attendance rates can be at their lowest, going to school more often can make a big difference. Every day counts. Schools are there to help – if you’re having attendance issues with your child, speak to your school about ways to address those issues.

In Victoria, school is compulsory for children and young people aged 6 to 17 years.

Student Absences

The main reasons for absence are:

Sickness – There are always times when students need to miss school, such as when they’re ill. It’s vital that they’re only away on the days they are genuinely sick, and setting good sleep patterns, eating well and exercising regularly can make a big difference.

Family holidays - It's vital that holidays are planned during school holidays where possible, and not during the term. If you are planning to go on holiday during term time, make sure that you talk to your school in advance, and work with them to develop an absence learning plan.

A death in the family

Contact the school and let them know how long your child will be away. The school can offer counselling and keep an eye on your child’s wellbeing when they return.

Koorie cultural absences (including Sorry Business)

For families of Koorie students, we encourage you to let the school know when there is Sorry Business. Teachers can work with you, your child and the Koorie Engagement Support Officer to identify the right support. Culture plays an important role in a Koorie student's education and overall wellbeing. If a Koorie student needs to be away for a cultural activity or obligation, families are encouraged to discuss this with the school in advance.

“Day off” – Think twice before letting your teenager have a “day off” as they could fall behind their classmates – every day counts.

Truancy – This is when students choose not to go to school without their parent’s permission or skip out of school during the day. There can be many reasons for truancy; the best way to address this is for schools and parents to work together. While all absences can effect academic performance, the Department of Education’s statistics show that unexcused absences are a much stronger indicator of lower reading and maths achievement.

School refusal - School refusing children experience significant emotional distress not only when going to school but also at the thought of going to school; they may be absent from school for weeks or even months at a time. School refusal differs from truancy as children generally stay home with the knowledge of the parents and despite their best efforts to encourage their child to go to school. See: My child or teenager has anxiety

Being away from school for one day a fortnight equals missing 1.5 over 13 years of school

If for any reason your teenager must miss school, there are things you can do with your school to ensure they don’t fall behind:

Inform the school via Compass
For ongoing absences, contact your teen’s Year Level Liaison or Learning Leader
Find out what work your teenager needs to do to keep up
Develop an absence learning plan with your teenager’s Year Level Liaison or Learning Leader and ensure they complete the plan

Remember, every day counts. If your teenager must miss school, speak with your Year Level Liaison or Learning Leader as early as possible. Openly communicating with your teenager’s school about all absences is a good way to prevent attendance issues being escalated to a School Attendance Officer. A School Attendance Officer is a Department of Education and Training Regional Director who has authority to follow up attendance issues. Chronic or ongoing attendance issues that are escalated can lead to an Infringement Notice being issued to parent/s. If you’re having attendance issues with your teenager, please let the Year Level Liaison, Learning Leader, Wellbeing Team or other relevant staff member know so you can work together to get your teen to school every day.

Top attendance tips for parents

Schools want to work in partnership with parents – act early if you have any concerns by contacting your child’s school and asking for advice and support

Remember that every day counts
There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness
Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day
Open and prompt communication with your child’s school about all absences is a good idea
Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term
Seek help from your school if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and wellbeing. Schools want to work in partnership with parents to support student attendance and wellbeing
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
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
Set a good example. Show them how you keep to your own commitments
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
Leave all technology out of their bedroom
Pack their school bag the night before with everything they need
Have a set time for breakfast
Plan to meet up with a friend so they can travel to school together

Further Information

For more information and resources to help address attendance issues, visit:

https://www.vic.gov.au/attendance-and-missing-school