Wellbeing Report

ATTENDANCE – EVERY DAY COUNTS

The MACS Vision for Engagement is an evidence informed and authentically Catholic commitment to nurturing calm, respectful and inclusive classrooms in which every student can thrive academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

One of the key messages within this document is the explicit emphasis on the importance of attendance.

We are committed to providing your child with an excellent education.

The building blocks of a great education begin with all students coming to school each and every day, on time.

“Consistent attendance is critical for academic achievement and students’ sense of belonging, connection and self-efficacy.”

“School attendance is crucial because each day missed by a student means valuable learning time is lost. MACS schools design strategies to engage students in learning, address personal and external barriers, and maintain high expectations with clear, supportive pathways for families facing challenges in ensuring their children attend school.” MACS VISION FOR ENGAGEMENT

Regular school attendance is vital and missing school days can have a big impact on a child’s future – missing just one day a fortnight will miss four full weeks by the end of the year. By Year 10 they’ll have missed more than a year of school.

WHAT IF MY CHILD IS ABSENT?

There are many reasons as to why a student may need to be absent, however it is important that we are notified and work together to support the child.

There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes.

Protecting the safety and well-being of children through the reporting and monitoring of absenteeism is the responsibility of both parents/carers and schools.

There are a number of ways we can support you, so please communicate with us if your child is struggling with school attendance.

COMMUNICATION WITH US IS THE KEY

Parent Notified Absence – Please communicate with us if your child is absent so that we can record this information, and if required, put supports in place.

Please remember to call the school on 03 9795 8100 or email studentservices@nazareth.vic.edu.au or log your child’s absence using our school’s IT platform PAM early in the morning if your child is going to be away or late for school so your child’s absence can be recorded correctly.

If for any reason your child must miss school, there are things we can do together to ensure they don’t fall behind:

Speak with your classroom teacher and find out what work your child needs to do to keep up.
Develop an absence learning plan with your teacher and ensure your child completes the plan.