Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to

• ensure all children of compulsory school age are enrolled in a registered school and attend school every day the school is open for instruction

• ensure students, staff and parents/carers have a shared understanding of the importance of attending school

• explain to school staff and parents the key practices and procedures Example School has in place to

• support, monitor and maintain student attendance

• record, monitor and follow up student absences.

Scope

This policy applies to all students at Kensington Community High 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 Kensington Community High School, parents and School Attendance Officers under legislation or the School Attendance Guidelines. 

Definition

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.

Policy

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 Kensington Community High School during normal school hours every day of each term unless:

• there is an approved exemption from school attendance for the student

• the student has a dual enrolment with another school and has only a partial enrolment in Example School, or

• the student is registered for home schooling and has only a partial enrolment in Kensington Community High School for particular activities.

Both schools and parents have an important role to play in supporting students to attend school every day.

Kensington Community High 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.

Kensington Community High 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 Kensington Community High School l 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.

Supporting and promoting attendance

Kensington Community High School’s Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy supports student attendance. 

Our school also promotes student attendance by: providing breakfast option before school

Recording attendance

Kensington Community High School must record attendance in every class. This is necessary to:

• meet legislative requirements

• discharge Kensington Community High School’s duty of care for all students

• meet Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority requirements for VCAL students 

Attendance will be recorded by. the classroom teacher at the start of each lesson/period] using Compass . 

If students are in attendance at a school approved activity, the teacher in charge of the activity will record them as being present.

Recording absences

For absences where there is no exemption in place, a parent must provide an explanation on each occasion to the school. 

Parents should notify Kensington Community High School of absences by:

• contacting reception if it is an unplanned absence, informing the classroom teacher if it is a planned absence]

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, Kensington Community High School will notify parents by [SMS/push notification message email. Kensington Community High 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. 

Kensington Community High 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 Kensington Community High 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:

• medical and dental appointments, where out of hours appointments are not possible or appropriate

• bereavement or attendance at the funeral of a relative or friend of the student, including a student required to attend Sorry Business

• school refusal, if a plan is in place with the parent to address causes and support the student’s return to school

• cultural observance if the parent/carer notifies the school in advance

• family holidays where the parent notifies the school in advance 

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.

Managing non-attendance and supporting student engagement

Where absences are of concern due to their nature or frequency, or where a student has been absent for more than five days, Kensington Community High School will work collaboratively with parents, the student, and other professionals, where appropriate, to develop strategies to improve attendance, including:

• establishing an Attendance Student Support Group

• implementing a Return to School Plan

• implementing an Individual Education Plan

• implementing a Student Absence Learning Plan for students who will be absent for an extended period

• arranging for assistance from relevant student wellbeing staff. 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, 

Referral to School Attendance Officer

If Kensington Community High 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 South Western 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:

• the student has been absent from school on at least five full days in the previous 12 months where: 

• the parent has not provided a reasonable excuse for these absences; and

• measures to improve the student's attendance have been undertaken and have been unsuccessful

• the student’s whereabouts are unknown and:

• the student has been absent for 10 consecutive school days; or 

• no alternative education destination can be found for the student.

IMPLEMENTAION

• For all teachers to record student attendance for each class while on site at KCHS.

• For all student attendance data to be recorded on COMPASS each day.

• That student attendance be minuted for weekly group meetings as a general discussion.

• That each student who attends an off - site location in association with a teaching and learning program be recorded on the day of attendance in COMPASS.

• That at the culmination of the academic year all teaching and learning groups review the attendance of students at KCHS. This review is to be minuted in a team meeting accompanied by strategies aimed at improving attendance for the next academic year. Each group is expected to recommend explicit interventions with the aim of improving student attendance. 

• That the Principal and Student Attendance Leader (timetables) provide feedback to each group leader and teachers about the efficiency of record keeping once a term. 

• The Principal and Student Attendance Leader (timetables) present whole school attendance data including all leaders, colleagues and school council, and is to be reflected in the minutes of these forums.

• Group leaders are expected to assist colleagues in their checking of daily and weekly attendance for their particular group.

• That student attendance data is posted in the staffroom in conjunction with teaching and learning data also on display.

COMMUNICATION

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways: 

• Available publicly on our school’s website 

• Included in staff induction processes

• Included in staff handbook/manual

• Discussed at annual staff briefings/meetings 

• Included in transition and enrolment packs

• Discussed at parent information nights/sessions

• Reminders in our school newsletter 

• Hard copy available from school administration upon request

POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL

This policy is due for review in 2024

   This policy was ratified by School Council on: _______________________....