Research shows that attendance at school all day and every day positively affects learning, wellbeing, employment and life outcomes for children and young people. Learning is cumulative and it is disrupted if students often miss school.

School attendance and the law

Attendance at school is compulsory. The Education and Children's Services Act 2019 states that all children must attend school from 6 until they turn 17. This could be in a school or an approved learning program.

Parents or legal guardians (carers) can be prosecuted if they do not make sure their child goes to school. This can mean being fined or getting a criminal conviction.

The department's attendance policy

The South Australian Department for Education's Attendance Policy guides the responsibilities of the whole school community to make sure that children and young people attend school. This includes school staff, parents, carers and students.

Schools work with their community to develop positive attendance habits. This starts from the earliest years. They do this when they provide a safe, inclusive and culturally respectful environment. They use effective and consistent local practices to monitor and manage absences.

Students at risk from missing school

Students can be away from school for many reasons. Schools use categories to identify children and young people at risk. We make sure that appropriate follow up and support is provided.

• Habitual non-attendance: a student has 5 to 9 days absent in a term for any reason.
• Chronic non-attendance: a student has 10 or more days absent in a term for any reason.

How we implement the department's attendance policy

At Clovelly Park Primary School our attendance practices align with the department's attendance policy.

We support student attendance when we:

• promote the importance of education from the earliest years of life and throughout school
• assess patterns of non-attendance and develop ways to address this
• actively engage and include all children, young people and their families
• provide support to address the barriers to attendance, learning and wellbeing
• monitor attendance to make sure progress is documented and supports are in place
• evaluate the need for further or ongoing support and referral for additional support.

We use data to create our attendance improvement plans. This is in partnership with our community. Our plan includes the actions we will take to make sure all students can attend school.

Clovelly Park Primary School's attendance expectations

School starts at 8.45 am each day and finishes at 3.00 pm.

A parent or carer must provide an explanation if their child is absent, late or has to leave early.

Attendance responsibilities

Everyone has a role to make sure students attend school all day, every day.

Students

• Attend school every day the school is open unless they are ill or have an approved exemption.
• Arrive at school and to all lessons and activities on time.
• Participate positively in all learning activities.
• Report to front office if they arrive late (after 8:50am) or are leaving early.

Note: a student's age and circumstances affect the level of responsibility.

Parents and carers

• Make sure their child attends school every day the school is open, unless they are ill or have an approved exemption.
• Be responsible for their child's travel to and from school.
• Make sure their child arrives at school on time, between 8.30 am and 8.45 am.
• Provide their child's school with up-to-date contact details.
• Provide a reason to the school on the same day if their child is absent, late, or leaving early. Students leaving early must be collected by an authorised adult from the front office.
• Provide a medical certificate or written explanation if their child is ill for 3 or more days in a row.
• Direct their child to the front office if arriving after 8:50 am and sign their child out from the front office for an early departure. Children returning to school after being signed out, such as after a dentist visit, must sign back in at the front office.
• Whenever possible, schedule appointments, such as with dentists or National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) providers, outside of school hours.

Teachers and leadership team

• Make sure all parents and carers are aware of attendance expectations, policies and procedures.
• Accurately record each absence, late arrival or early departure with the appropriate code.
• Contact parents or carers if there is no explanation for an absence, or a pattern of absences.
• Document contact with parents and carers about absences, including attempts to contact.
• Request a medical certificate from parents or carers if needed.
• Consult with the local Student Support Services if needed. For example Social Work, Truancy.
• Make notifications about chronic non-attendance (via the Child Abuse Report Line – CARL) guided by Responding to Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care (RAN) training and the Mandatory Reporting Guide.
• Record attendance accurately on Learnlink by noting the time of arival and early departures in the roll. Teachers will record students who are absent without explanation as a ‘U’ until they receive an appropriate explanation from the parent/ caregiver. Written explanations for absences will be kept and archived. This written explanation may come from the front office, from home or be created by the teacher on receiving a verbal explanation or diary note.
• Conduct home visits and follow up with families in cases of ongoing non-attendance or duty of care concerns.

Authorisation of exemptions

In some circumstances, the principal has authority to approve an exemption from school. This can be for up to 1 month. It can also be for up to 12 months for a family holiday.

Before asking for an exemption, families should talk to a site leader. Students must attend school until an exemption is approved.

Our school requires parents and carers to apply for an exemption at least two weeks in advance for any planned absence exceeding 3 consecutive school days. This requirement does not apply to absences due to illness.

Parents or carers must apply in writing. The principal will advise them in writing of their decision. A copy is kept in the student record folder. Forms are available from the front office.

Exemptions of more than 1 month (excluding holidays) must be approved by the department's central office.