Attendance & Engagement
Every Day and Every Minute Counts
Supporting attendance and punctuality at Saltwater P-9 College
At Saltwater P-9 College, we know that regular attendance has a significant impact on student learning, wellbeing and connection to school. Every day provides opportunities to learn, build friendships, develop routines and participate in experiences that cannot always be replicated when a student is away.
Our whole-school attendance rate for 2026 is currently 90.5%.
While 90.5% can sound relatively high, across a full school year, this is equivalent to the average student missing approximately 18 days of school — more than three and a half weeks of learning.
Our attendance also varies across the College. Current year-level attendance ranges from approximately 91–92% across Prep to Year 7, with Year 8 currently at 85% and Year 9 at 86%.
What Are We Seeing Across Saltwater?
Our attendance data provides us with an important picture of the reasons students are missing school. So far this year, our records include:
16,654 absences due to medical/illness
6,709 absences due to unapproved family holidays
1,827 absences recorded with parental acknowledgement
26,937 late arrivals
We recognise that illness and other circumstances will sometimes mean that students cannot attend school. However, these figures also demonstrate how quickly missed learning can accumulate across a large school community.
In particular, family holidays during the school term and regular late arrival are areas where families can make an important difference.
Every Minute Counts
Arriving at school is only part of the picture — arriving on time matters too.
This year, Saltwater has already recorded 26,937 late arrivals.
A student arriving only a few minutes late may appear to be missing very little. However, when lateness becomes a regular pattern, those minutes quickly turn into hours and eventually days of missed learning.
As our Every Minute Counts guide demonstrates:
5 minutes late each day → approximately 3 days of learning lost
10 minutes late each day → approximately 6.5 days lost
15 minutes late each day → approximately 10 days lost
20 minutes late each day → approximately 13 days lost
30 minutes late each day → approximately 19 days lost
Being on time also means students can settle in with their peers, hear important instructions and participate in learning from the very beginning of the day.
For Prep–Year 6, classrooms open at 8:20am and learning begins at 8:30am.
For Years 7–9, gates open at 8:30am and learning begins at 8:45am.
Family Holidays During the School Term
Our data shows that 6,709 absences have been recorded due to unapproved family holidays this year.
We understand that there may be circumstances where families need to travel during the school term. Wherever possible, however, we strongly encourage families to plan holidays during the scheduled school holiday periods to minimise disruption to learning.
Where a term-time holiday is necessary, families are required to notify the College at least two weeks in advance.
Once notification is received, the student's teacher will prepare an Absence Learning Plan, outlining relevant curriculum areas and suggested activities to support continuity of learning while the student is away.
Holiday absences are recorded as Family Holiday – Approved when the College has been notified and the required process has been followed, or Family Holiday – Unapproved when this process has not occurred.
Working Together to Improve Attendance
We understand that there can be genuine barriers that make regular attendance or arriving on time difficult.
If your child is experiencing challenges with friendships, learning, wellbeing, morning routines or another issue that is affecting their attendance, please speak with their classroom teacher or Year Level Assistant Principal. Our aim is to work in partnership with families to understand the barriers and identify appropriate supports.
If your child is absent, please notify the College through the XUNO Parent App, by calling (03) 8366 7700, or by emailing saltwater.p9@education.vic.gov.au.
Every day at school is an opportunity to learn, connect and grow. Every day counts and every minute counts.
Thank you,
Brent Syme
Assistant Principal