Especean

Wellbeing - Senior School

Further to last week I extend a warm welcome to students and parents/carers in Years 9 to 12. It was great to address the Senior School students last Friday, outlining the priorities of:

  • supporting the academic and social growth of every student

  • building on existing and new initiatives based on feedback from students, parents and staff 

  • extending students through the allocated Pastoral Care Lessons.

I emphasised the importance of maintaining a stewardship for our College grounds; keeping playground areas tidy for all members of the College community.

 

There has been a great deal of information provided to students and parents/carers regarding this Friday’s Opening Mass and High Achievers’ Assembly. Please ensure that key details are noted to ensure the effective running of the day.

 

There are plenty of other key events occurring in the coming weeks; notably the resumption of Summer Co-Curricular activities and the Annual Secondary Swimming Carnival on Thursday 13 February.

COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE: INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND CARERS

Did you know that if your son attended St Patrick’s College between Years 5-12 and missed as little as eight days in a school term, by the end of their time at the College they will have missed over a year of education? 

 

In New South Wales, all children from six years of age are legally required to attend school or be registered for home schooling. After they complete Year 10 and until they turn 17 years of age, students then have the following options. They may also be in: 

  1. full-time further education and training (e.g. TAFE, traineeship, apprenticeship)

  2. full-time, paid employment of an average of 25 hours per week

or a combination of both of the above. Children are expected to attend all College activities, on time. If your son has to be absent from the College, you must inform the College and provide a reason for your son’s absence within seven days. A small number of absences may be accepted; for example, if your son has to go to a special religious ceremony, is required to attend to a serious and/or urgent family situation, is too sick to go to school or has an infectious illness. Ordinarily, it is expected that your son will have at least 90% attendance each year. 

 

When absences are unexplained by parents/carers, or the explanations are unacceptable, the College will work with parents/carers to help address the issue. The main aim is to sort out what is preventing the child from getting to school and putting strategies in place to help. 

 

Sometimes, the College will ask support staff and other agencies to assist. It is important to understand that further action will be taken where students of compulsory school age have recurring numbers of unexplained or unacceptable absences from the College. Some of the following actions may be undertaken:

  • Attendance meetings and compulsory attendance conferences 

    The aim of the meeting/conference is to help identify strategies to support the student and family. Other agencies may also be invited along to help, if parents/carers agree. The outcome of an Attendance meeting/compulsory attendance conference is for the parties to agree to undertake certain actions to improve the boys’ attendance. These actions are written in the form of undertakings. 

     

  • Applications to the Children’s Court 

    A Compulsory Schooling Order Legal compliance can be sought through an application to the Children’s Court for a Compulsory Schooling Order. The aim is to assist a family and/or boy to address the issues which are preventing satisfactory school attendance but has the added enforcement of a Court’s powers. 

     

  • Prosecution in the Local Court 

    If all attempts by the College and regional support staff fail to improve a student’s attendance, action can be taken in the Local Court, and the result can be fines up to a maximum of $11,000.

Robert Simpson

Director of Senior School