Page Contents

• Purpose, Scope, Definition

• Unexplained absences from school

• School and parents/carers working together

• The school’s responsibilities

• The parents/carers responsibilities

• Implementation

• VCE, VET and VM attendance

• Communication of this policy

• Further information and resources

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

• ensure all children of compulsory school age are enrolled in a registered school and attend school every day the school is open for instruction

• ensure students, staff and parents/carers have a shared understanding of the importance of attending school

• explain to school staff and parents the key practices and procedures Templestowe College has in place to

  • support, monitor and maintain student attendance

  • record, monitor and follow up student absences.

Attendance has a direct impact on student achievement.

The Education Act requires that children of school age (six to seventeen years) resident in Victoria are required to be in full-time attendance at a government or registered non-government school unless formally exempt. Our school requires that post-compulsory aged students also attend school unless a valid reason exists. For the purpose of this policy, full time attendance at Templestowe College for a non VCE/VM Student is 6 blocks of subjects, or 4 VCE/VM subjects in line with DE Policy. Amendments to this need to be agreed to by the Principal in line with VCAA guidelines around the use of Individualised Learning Plans.

The policy aims to maximise student learning opportunities and performance by ensuring that children required to attend school do so regularly, and without unnecessary or frivolous absences.

Scope

This policy applies to all students at Templestowe College.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Department of Education and Training’s School Attendance Guidelines. It does not replace or change the obligations of Templestowe College, parents and School Attendance Officers under legislation or the School Attendance Guidelines.

Definition

Parent – includes a guardian and every person who has parental responsibility for the child, including parental responsibility under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) and any person with whom a child normally or regularly resides.

Policy

TC will contact parents/carers on the same day of an unexplained student absence. This supports student safety and wellbeing. TC currently prefers the use of automated email correspondence and/or text messages on the day of an unexplained absence. TC needs to know when and why a child is absent, and parents/carers need to know if their child is not at school. Prompt communication also promotes daily school attendance.

Parents and carers must notify the school of their child’s absence as soon as possible on the day of absence using the school’s preferred method, via Compass, or by telephone.

Building positive and collaborative relationships through clear communications with parents/carers is critical to the successful implementation of the same-day notification requirement. 

The responsibility for attendance needs to be underpinned by a shared understanding and clear expectations about the procedures for monitoring, recording and follow-up of student attendance as outlined in the school’s attendance policy.

Working in partnership, below sets out the responsibilities of TC and families in helping to co-manage individual student attendance.

Notify parents/carers

The school must notify parents and carers as soon as practicable on the same day of an unexplained absence.

Schools can choose how they advise parents and carers based on their local context – for example by email, push notification via downloaded app, SMS or phone call.

Follow-up where required

At times, the parent or carer may not be able to be reached because the school does not have their correct contact details. In this instance, the school should attempt to contact any emergency contact/s nominated on the child’s file held by the school, where possible, on the same day of the unexplained absence.

Inform the school of the reason for all absences

Reasons for absences can be provided by logging into Compass, calling the school reception (9850-6333) or by emailing the Community Executive Teams.

Education is a sequential process. Absences often mean students miss important stages in the development of topics, causing them to find ‘catching up’ difficult.

Please note the following:

• Aggregated student attendance data is reported to the Department of Education and the wider community each year as part of the annual report.

• All enrolled students are required to attend school unless reasonable and valid grounds exist for them to be absent.

• Independent students not living with parents/carers are also required to contact or provide notes.

• Ongoing unexplained absences or lack of cooperation regarding student attendance will result in a formal attendance conference being organised.

• Parents/carers have a responsibility to ensure that their children attend school regularly and are only absent if ill or if necessary. Parents have a further responsibility to provide a written note or to contact the school explaining why an absence has occurred.

• Parents of students who are to be absent are required provide reasons for absences by logging into Compass, calling the school reception (9850-6333) or by emailing the Community Executive Teams.

• The Department of Education and enrolment auditors may seek student attendance records.

• The principal will ensure all student absences are recorded each period by teachers, are aggregated on the CASES database and communicated to the Department of Education.

General Attendance is recorded, via Compass, twice daily, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Students with attendance concerns will work with Community Executive Team staff to ensure that attendance levels are improved.

Following up absences

Where absences are of concern due to their nature or frequency, the school will involve the parents/carers and the student as appropriate in developing strategies to improve attendance.

Parents should be informed that if a student has repeated absences without a reasonable excuse or explanation, the parent may be issued with a School Attendance Notice from a School Attendance Officer.

Whilst making parents/carers and students aware, the school then seeks to implement a support structure to improve attendance. This is initiated through the student’s respective Community Executive Team and may include a range of additional service personnel from the broader Student Services Team, depending on the individual student’s circumstances.

Good attendance at VCE, VET and VM is a pre-requisite for achieving an ‘S’. Missing lessons, without good reason, has a major negative impact on the student who is absent. TC is committed to helping students attend in order to optimise their levels of progress and learning. If a student has known cause to be absent, then it is imperative that the school is informed. Parents/Carers can inform the school of the reason for absences by logging the reason on Compass, contacting the school reception or emailing the Community Executive Team.

The following is important to note re VCE, VET and VM attendance:

• Students who are absent on any day when School Assessed Coursework (SACs) or School Assessed Tasks (SATs) are due must provide a medical certificate for their absence within 2 days of their return to school.

• A grade of zero may be awarded to SATs and SACs if absences due to illness are not supported by a medical certificate. The Pathways Team will manage how to proceed in cases of a student having an unapproved absence on the day of a SAC or SAT.

• If a student is absent with an approved reason on the day of a SAC/SAT they are required to complete a SAC Reschedule Form within 2 days of returning to school following the absence. This form is to be submitted to the Pathways Team responsible for final approval of all rescheduled tasks.

• All absences from school are expected to be explained by a record on Compass.

• As a student of TC, all VET and VM students, even if off-site for learning, are expected to attend all scheduled classes, excursions to achieve the requisite 80% attendance level needed for a successful outcome

• At the VCE and VM level a medical certificate is required for all absences. Special approval should be sought through the Director of Senior Certificates or Assistant Principal - Community and Wellbeing for exceptional or other unavoidable absences in order for them to be approved.

• At VCE, VET and VM level attendance is a requirement for satisfactory completion of an outcome or unit. This level of attendance is currently set at 80%. Ongoing absences for any reason be it medical, authorised or unauthorised may result in a student being unable to satisfactorily complete a unit.

• Students attending sport and excursions for other subject areas must ensure that they inform the class teacher one week before a SAC that there is a clash of the two events. Where the SAC is external to the school and so can’t be rescheduled, the student is required to attend the SAC activity rather than the alternative activity.

• Teachers should, wherever possible, avoid VET days for set assessment tasks and mandatory excursions and activities. Where this does happen, alternative arrangements must be made by the teacher to enable the VET student to meet course requirements.

• VET students who are absent from their VET course should also notify the provider.

• Students and parents/carers will receive notifications via Compass if attendance requirements are not being met at VCE, VET or VM level.

• Community Executive Teams will seek to resolve attendance concerns with students and their families.

• If necessary, attendance issues unable to be resolved by the school will be referred to the Department of Education.

Students that have VCE, VET or VM Attendance of less than 80% will be informed that their attendance is below optimum levels. Parents/carers and students will receive an email and/or letter through Compass to inform them that this is the current situation.

VCE, VET and VM Attendance is recorded, via Compass, every lesson. This information is used to semi-automate communication to parents/carers and students to make them aware of the issue and inform what the student must do the resolve the situation.

Whilst making parents/carers and students aware, the school then seeks to implement a support structure. It is the responsibility of parents/carers and students to inform the school of any specific reasons for absences. The school will support each student with known and valid reasons for absences at VCE, VET and VM.

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:

• Available publicly on the school website

• Included in staff induction processes

• Included in transition correspondence to new families

• Annually referenced in Next Week @TC

• Hard copy available from school administration upon request

The Department’s Policy and Advisory Library (PAL):

• Attendance