PSC Absence Lines
Pakenham Secondary College
Dear Parents/Carers,
In the first instance, the easiest way to log your child’s absence is to enter it directly on Compass. Instructions for doing this can be found here.
We now have another way for parents and carers to notify us of absences; we have two dedicated absence lines - one for the Junior Sub Schools and one for the Senior Sub Schools. These lines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Parents and carers can either call or text as soon as they are aware their child will be absent - whether it's for the current day or a future date.
WHICH LINE SHOULD I USE?
Junior Sub School (Yawa and Warreeny):
Phone or send a text message to: 0459 970 912
Senior Sub School (Balam Balam and Bunjil):
Phone or send a text message to: 0486 218 220
When contacting the school, please include:
Your child’s first and last name
Their home group (or year level, if you unsure)
WHY REGULAR ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Regular school attendance is critical for students to succeed. At Pakenham Secondary College, we are committed to supporting student learning through consistent attendance.
In our Senior Sub Schools, students enrolled in VCE, VCE VM or VPC must also meet VCAA attendance requirements - a minimum of 90% attendance per unit is required to pass.
Being absent even once a fortnight can result in missing up to four weeks of school per year. Where possible, we ask that you:
Book appointments outside of school hours
Plan family holidays during school breaks
Under state legislation, students under 17 must attend school for at least 200 days per year. Parents/guardians are legally responsible for ensuring this requirement is met.
NOTIFYING THE SCHOOL OF ABSENCES
In line with Department of Education guidelines, all schools must know when and why a student is absent. If we do not receive notice of an absence, we are required by the Department to contact families on the same day to ensure the student is safe.
You can notify us in one of the following ways:
Compass:
Log the absence through the Compass School Management System (Instructions available here)
Phone or Text:
Leave a message on the junior or senior school absence line
Only parents or legal guardians can authorise absences. Notifications from other individuals will not be accepted.
Thank you for supporting your child’s education and wellbeing through consistent attendance. If you have any questions, please contact the College on 5945 1433 or via email at: pakenham.sc@education.vic.gov.au.