Attendance Matters    

Attendance

Promoting student attendance is a responsibility of both school and parents/carers. Working together we protect the safety and wellbeing of children through the reporting and monitoring of absenteeism. 

School responsibility

Notify parents/carers: The school must notify parents and carers as soon as practicable on the same day of an unexplained absence. This should occur in the morning allowing time for the parent/carer to respond. Schools can choose how they advise parents/carers based on their local context e.g. by email, push notification via downloaded app, SMS or phone call.

Follow-up: At times the parent/carer may not be able to be reached because the school does not have their correct contact details (i.e. changed phone number, SMS/email failure notification received etc.). In this instance, or in the instance no response is received the school should attempt to make contact with any emergency contact/s nominated on the child’s file held by the school, where possible, on the same day of the unexplained absence.

Record student absences data: Under the School Attendance Guidelines schools are required to record or transpose absence data. 

Parent/Carers responsibility

Parents/carers are required to ensure their child attends school every day and have an obligation to contact the school to notify the school of their child’s absence. Parents/carers should inform the school in advance of known upcoming absences, or on the day of absence as soon as practicable. In addition, in order to implement this requirement, it is essential that parents/carers provide schools with their most up-to-date contact details.

Please note that late to school, leaving early and attending appointments during the school day affects school attendance data.