Rationale:

• The Education Act 1958 requires that children of school age (six-fifteen years) resident in Victoria are required to be in full-time attendance:

* at a government, or

* registered non-government school

unless they are receiving approved

* home tuition,

* correspondence education, or

* have been granted an exemption by the Regional Director.

Aims:

• To maximise student learning opportunities and performance by ensuring that:

* children required to attend school do so regularly, and

* without unnecessary or frivolous absences.

Implementation:

• Education is a sequential process. Absences often mean:

* students miss important stages causing them to find ‘catching up’ difficult.

* absenteeism contributes significantly to student failure at school.

• All students are required to attend school unless reasonable, valid grounds exist for them to be absent.

* Illness is reasonable excuse for an absence.

• Parents have a responsibility to:

* ensure that their children attend school regularly, and are only absent if ill or if absolutely necessary.

* provide a written note or return a completed absence form (See Form 1 below) explaining why an absence has occurred.

• The principal has a responsibility to:

* ensure that attendance records are maintained and monitored.

* ensure that unexplained absences are investigated, and that high levels of absenteeism areadequately explained.

• The Department of Education, enrolment auditors, or the legal system, may seek student attendance records.
• The Welfare Officer will contact parents of students with high levels of unexplained or unapproved absences.
• In extreme cases, ongoing unexplained absences, or lack of co-operation regarding student attendance, will result in a request for a formal attendance conference.
• Unresolved attendance issues may be reported by the principal to the Department of Human Services.
• Student attendance and absence figures will appear on student half year and end of year reports.