Attendance

Don’t stay home and play, save it for your holiday! 

All schools in New South Wales are committed to providing safe and supportive learning environments for all students which address their educational needs. In NSW all children between the ages of six and below the minimum school leaving age of seventeen are legally required to attend school or an educational facility. 

Regular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their academic and social potential. Schools, in partnership with parents, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. Parents are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children and school staff are responsible for the monitoring of part or whole day absences. 

Barrack Heights Public School community understand: 

• Attendance is linked to academic performance 

• Poor attendance at school will affect student’s choices in later life

• Arriving late to school is only acceptable due to specialist appointments or emergencies with supporting documentation 

• Five days absence a term is only acceptable if a child is sick or on a family holiday (Approval from the principal is required if a holiday is over five days) 

• Sickness and family holidays are the most acceptable reasons for being absent

• Leaving school early is only acceptable for student medical appointments (with supporting documentation) and occasionally, extreme weather 

Benefits of regular attendance:

For students 

• Maximising learning opportunities which will optimise life choices 

• Assisting to develop skills and attitudes that will help the student be successful later in life, such as; punctuality, organisation and confidence 

• Making friends and learning to maintain relationships

• Learning social skills to interact with others.

For teachers 

• Improved learning outcomes for all 

• Ability to fulfil responsibilities to all students 

• Maintaining relationships with students, which may reduce disruptions to learning 

• Saving resources and time by avoiding non-attendance follow up procedures. 

For parents/caregivers 

• Children are safer at school than being unsupervised at home or in the community 

• Children can succeed in their learning 

• Children are more likely to complete Year 12 and have broader opportunities and higher educational goals 

• Fewer incidents of negative contact with government agencies. 

Responsibilities:

Regular attendance at school is the responsibility of students, parents and school staff. 

Student responsibilities: 

• Arrive punctually between 8:30 and 8:55 am 

• Attend school every day between 8:55am and 3:00pm 

• Attend school every day when instruction is offered unless the school receives a valid reason for being absent e.g. sickness 

• Hand letters or notes from parents to the front office or classroom teacher promptly 

• When arriving late, students are required to present at the office, before going to class with a late slip and handing that slip to the classroom teacher 

• If late, come to class quietly so as not to disturb other students’ learning. 

Parent responsibilities:

• Actively encourage their children to regularly attend school

• Notify the school of any absences via School Bytes, email or via telephone within 7 days

• Provide the office with an appropriate, justifiable explanation for arriving late or leaving early

• Inform the school if an extended absence is likely 

• Seeking approval from the school principal if leave over five days is required 

• Inform the school when their child is away for more than 2 consecutive days

• Inform the school of any changes to their contact details 

• Ensure children are picked up promptly from school at the end of the school day at 3:00pm 

• Contact the school if delayed for any reason or length of time when picking up children 

• For more than 3 consecutive days when their child is away for medical reasons provide a medical certificate.