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The purpose of this policy is to
This policy applies to all students at Chum Creek Primary School.
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 Chum Creek Primary School, parents and School Attendance Officers under legislation or the School Attendance Guidelines.
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.
Schooling is compulsory for children and young people aged from 6 to 17 years (unless an exemption from attendance or enrolment has been granted).
Daily attendance is important for all children and young people to succeed in education and to ensure they do not fall behind both socially and developmentally. School participation maximises life opportunities for children and young people by providing them with education and support networks. School helps people to develop important skills, knowledge and values that set them up for further learning and participation in their community.
Students are expected to attend Chum Creek Primary School during normal school hours every day of each term unless:
Both schools and parents have an important role to play in supporting students to attend school every day.
Chum Creek Primary School believes all students should attend school all day, every day when the school is open for instruction and is committed to working with its school community to encourage and support full school attendance.
Our school will identify individual students or cohorts who are vulnerable and whose attendance is at risk and/or declining and will work with these students and their parents to improve their attendance through a range of interventions and supports.
Students are committed to attending school every day, arriving on time and are prepared to learn. Our students are encouraged approach a teacher and seek assistance if there are any issues that are affecting their attendance.
Chum Creek Primary School parents are committed to ensuring their child/children attend school on time every day when instruction is offered, to communicating openly with the school and providing valid explanations for any absence.
Parents will communicate with the relevant staff at Chum Creek Primary School about any issues affecting their child’s attendance and work in partnership with the school to address any concerns.
Parents will provide a reasonable explanation for their child’s absence from school and endeavour to schedule family holidays, appointments and other activities outside of school hours.
Chum Creek Primary School’s Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy supports student attendance.
Chum Creek Primary School must record student attendance twice per day. This is necessary to:
Attendance will be recorded by classroom teachers at the start of the school day and after the lunch break using Ueducateus third party software.
If students are in attendance at a school approved activity, the teacher in charge of the activity will record them as being present.
For absences where there is no exemption in place, a parent must provide an explanation on each occasion to the school.
Parents should notify Chum Creek Primary School of absences by:
If a student is absent on a particular day and the school has not been previously notified by a parent, or the absence is otherwise unexplained, Chum Creek Primary School will notify parents by SMS or telephone. Chum Creek Primary School will attempt to contact parents as soon as practicable on the same day of the unexplained absence, allowing time for the parent to respond.
If contact cannot be made with the parent (due to incorrect contact details), the school will attempt to make contact with any emergency contact/s nominated on the student’s file held by the school, where possible, on the day of the unexplained absence.
Chum Creek Primary School will keep a record of the reason given for each absence. The principal will determine if the explanation provided is a reasonable excuse for the purposes of the parent meeting their responsibilities under the Education Training Reform Act 2006 and the School Attendance Guidelines.
If Chum Creek Primary School considers that the parent has provided a reasonable excuse for their child’s absence the absence will be marked as ‘excused absence’.
If the school determines that no reasonable excuse has been provided, the absence will be marked as ‘unexcused absence’.
The Principal has the discretion to accept a reason given by a parent for a student’s absence. The Principal will generally excuse:
If no explanation is provided by the parent within 10 school days of an absence, it will be recorded as an ‘unexplained absence’ and recorded on the student’s file.
Parents will be notified if an absence has not been excused.
Where absences are of concern due to their nature or frequency, or where a student has been absent for more than five days, Chum Creek Primary School will work collaboratively with parents, the student, and other professionals, where appropriate, to develop strategies to improve attendance, including:
We understand from time to time that some students will need additional supports and assistance, and in collaboration with the student and their family, will endeavour to provide this support when it is required,
If Chum Creek Primary School decides that it has exhausted strategies for addressing a student’s unsatisfactory attendance, we may, in accordance with the School Attendance Guidelines refer the non-attendance to a School Attendance Officer in the North Eastern Victorian Regional Office for further action.
If, from multiple attempts to contact with a parent, it becomes apparent that a student will not be returning to the school, the principal may make a referral to a School Attendance Officer if:
This policy was last updated in June 2021 and is scheduled for review in June 2025.
