Student attendance at school has an impact on academic achievement and social and emotional wellbeing for individual students. Good student attendance is achieved when schools and families work in partnership to support every student.

Attending school

Going to school every day continues to be important in high school, just as it has been from Kindergarten to Year 6.

What your child learns each day builds on what they learned the day before. If your child misses school, their learning routine is broken, so they can lose confidence. They might also miss out on building their friendships.

You have a legal responsibility to send your children to school every school day.

If your child misses school due to illness, religious reasons or family circumstances, you are required to explain the reason for their absence to the school. This is usually done by a signed note, however talk to your child’s teacher about how the school manages this process.

If your child arrives at school late or needs to leave early, you will need to go to the office to sign your child in or out.

If you’re having difficulty getting your child to school every day and on time, talk to the year adviser or principal.

If you need help with English, ask for an interpreter. The school will arrange one if available.

When your child misses just one day per fortnight they upwards of 4 weeks per year which adds up to over two full terms missed by the end of high school.