Attendance and Absences

To maximise learning opportunities, students must attend school regularly and be punctual for all lessons. They should arrive at least 5 minutes before classes begin and will not be allowed to leave school before the end of the day unless consent is given by parents/caregivers. 

The School will address unexplained absences or frequent lateness by contacting families and may request meetings to ensure consistent attendance. Absences of 10 or more school days require written requests to the Principal. To minimise disruptions, parents are advised to schedule appointments outside school hours. 

Addressing school anxiety or lack of engagement early is crucial for student wellbeing, and extended absences will be monitored by staff. We aim to support families to ensure that students establish and maintain good attendance and are happy and settled. Continued unexplained absences will be followed up by classroom teachers, Year Patrons and the Wellbeing team, who may also involve the local Police Liaison Officer if necessary.

Absence

It is a legal requirement for children aged 5 to 17 to attend school for the entire school day. By NSW State law, absence from school for any period during the day requires a letter of explanation from a parent or guardian.

Parents and caregivers are asked to notify the School of any student absences, late arrivals, or early departures using the Absences link on the Engage Parent Portal, accessible on both desktop and mobile app. This feature can be easily found in the left-hand menu.

Key Points:

• Submit one request per child at a time.
• Past absences must be reported via email.
• Regular recurring absences must be reported via email and will be discussed with the Head of School.
• Extended leave (10+ school days) requires School Principal approval using the Application for Extended Leave form.

How to Use:

• Full-Day Absence: Choose the date, keep the default times, select from the following options and provide an accompanying reason in the comment box. The following will be recorded as approved absences:
  • Illness
  • Medical Appointment
  • Family Circumstances (Urgent), e.g., a funeral
  • Cultural or Religious Reasons
    
    If "Other" is selected, this type of absence will be recorded as unapproved until reviewed. 
  • Schools may only grant exemptions from attendance for specific reasons, including health conditions, learning needs, or disability, as well as participation in elite sporting events or entertainment industry commitments. Principals may also approve leave for travel, particularly when it is for educational purposes or under exceptional circumstances.
    
    
• Late Arrival: Keep the default start time and just choose the time the student will arrive as the end time. If a student arrives late, parents will be notified and asked to provide a reason for the late arrival.  Regular appointments require parents to apply for approval from the relevant Head of School.
  
  
• Early Departure: Choose the time the student will be leaving school as the start time and leave the end time as the default. Parents should be aware that early departures contribute a half day absence for semester reporting purposes. Once again, regular appointments require parents to apply for approval to the relevant Head of School.

You can, if you prefer, email us to advise us of absences, early departures or late arrivals.

Extended Leave

It is important that families consider the following issues when arranging holidays outside of school holiday times:

• Students may miss out on important learning programs that may affect future education. The School cannot accept responsibility for learning that is missed during extended leave taken.
• Teachers are not to be asked to set work while extended leave is taken for holiday purposes.
• If important assessments are missed, some areas of your child’s report may be incomplete.
• Extended absences cause extra organisational concerns for in-class and co-curricular activities, including sports days, assemblies, camps etc. Your child’s involvement in these activities cannot be guaranteed if essential preparation has not been undertaken or they are absent when activities are planned.
• Although every effort is made to set a school calendar of events in advance, due to exceptional circumstances, these dates may need to be changed during a school year.
• Depending on when extended leave is taken, students may find it difficult to learn school routines and develop social groups.
• Schools may only grant exemptions from attendance for specific reasons, including health conditions, learning needs, or disability, as well as participation in elite sporting events or entertainment industry commitments. Principals may also approve leave for travel, particularly when it is for educational purposes or under exceptional circumstances.

Please note that the submission of a student's Application for Extended Leave does not mean the leave will be approved, with any decision being at the discretion of the School Principal. Parents need to be aware of the “Attendance” requirements of the School Education Act 1999, particularly Section 23.

If you would like to submit an application for extended leave, please complete the Application for Extended Leave of a Student. You can email the form to Absences, or you can print it and drop it off at the School Front Reception.

Requests for Substitute Work

Substitute work can be arranged ahead of time if a student is going to be absent for a week or longer due to illness or other unplanned absences. Please note that teachers may require one week's notice for this to be organised.

It is students' responsibility to ensure they adequately catch up on all missed work as soon as possible following their return to school.

Leaving or Transferring School

In NSW, school attendance is compulsory until the age of 17. If a student plans to leave or transfer to another school, parents or caregivers must provide official written notice to the Enrolments team at least one term in advance. If sufficient notice isn’t given, fees in lieu of notice may apply.

Before leaving, an Exit Form must be completed, any outstanding fees settled, and all school property, such as library books and equipment, returned. Please also let us know the name of the school the student will be transferring to, as this is a requirement from the Board of Studies.

Related topics

• Late Arrival and Early Departure Procedures
• Medication and Medical Information
• Roll Call, Timetables and Schedules