Absences
If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify their school as soon as possible on the day of absence using one of the following methods, in order of preference:
- Online: log the absence directly using our school’s Compass app.
- Telephone: the school office and let the staff know your child’s name, class, date of absences and reason.
- Email: the school and provide the staff with your child’s name, class, date of absences and reason.
Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and will fulfil your legal responsibility.
Students who arrive after 9:10am will be marked as late on the roll and will need to be signed in at our kiosk in the office
Why do I need to notify the school if my child is absent?
From the end of Term 2 2018, all Victorian government schools are required to contact parents/carers as soon as practicable on the same day of an unexplained student absence. If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained. At our school, we will make contact with you if your child’s absence has been unexplained by 10:00am on the day of the absence via the Compass app or 11:00am via phone call if notice has not been received by the school.
This system also promotes daily school attendance. Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education, they learn new things every day – missing school puts them behind.
What is your responsibility?
Generally one notification will be sent per family. Should there be circumstances that require both parents and carers to be notified, please contact the school to make the necessary arrangements.
What is the school’s responsibility?
Schools will let you know either by an SMS through the Compass app or phone call. If you can’t be reached because the school does not have your correct contact details (i.e. changed phone number, email failure notification received etc.), the school will attempt to make contact with any emergency contact/s nominated on your child’s file held by the school. Where possible, this contact will be made on the same day of the unexplained absence.
