Attendance and absences
Students must attend school regularly so they can achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options.
In NSW, all children from the age of 6 are legally required to attend school or be registered for home schooling through the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). All students must complete Year 10, or its equivalent.
Young people below the age of 17 who have completed Year 10 must be:
- in school, or registered for home schooling
- in approved education or training, such as a traineeship, apprenticeship or TAFE
- in full-time paid employment (average 25 hours a week)
- in a combination of work, education and/or training (average of 25 hours a week combined).
Students 17 years and over who are enrolled in school must attend school regularly to meet HSC course requirements.
As a parent or carer, you are responsible for ensuring your child attends school every day when they are of compulsory school age. You must explain all absences to the school within 7 days.
For more information about compulsory school attendance, visit:
Need help with attendance?
Under the Education Act (1990), parents/carers are responsible for: ensuring that children attend school every day that instruction is provided unless there is a good reason for their absence; and explaining all absences from school before they occur (where possible) or within seven days after they occur.
Absences from School
Parents/carers can provide an explanation for their child’s absence from school by telephone, note, parent portal, email or in person at the school office. Notes of explanation should be signed by a parent/carer and should clearly state the student’s full name, roll class, date(s) of the absence and reason for the absence.
For example:
Please excuse my child........................................................................ of Year ................. for being absent from school on ....................................................................................... because ..................................................................................................................................
Parent Name & Signature .................................................................................................... Date ............................
Contact number .............................................................................
Whole day absence notes should be given to the roll call teacher and part day absence notes should be given to the school office.
Extended absences from school (more than 4 days) must be approved by the Principal or Deputy Principal or covered by a medical certificate.
Parents/carers will be contacted about unexplained absences by:
- SMS or email (the day of the absence – for parents who are on the SMS/email list);
- Note: Parents can ask to go on the SMS/email list at the school office at any time
- Letter (if the absence is unexplained for five days); and/or
- Telephone (at any time when a student’s attendance is of concern).
- Students arriving after 9:00am must sign in at the office with a note or explanation from a parent or carer.
- They will get a late slip before going to class. If a student is late three times without a reason, the school will follow up under our Positive Learning Policy.
- Year advisors will contact parents if frequent lateness becomes a concern.
- Once at school, students must stay on school grounds unless they have permission to leave.
- If a student needs to leave during the day, parents or carers must either send a note to the office by 9:00am or call the school to arrange sign-out.
- Students will receive an early leaver slip and must sign out at the office before leaving.
- If returning later the same day, students must sign back in at the office and get a late slip before going to class.
If you have questions about arrival times or absences
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