2. Attendance

Legal requirements

Excused from attendance

Exemption from attendance

Part-time attendance

For the purposes of this section, the word 'school' includes school endorsed personalised learning programs.

2.1  Legal requirements

• All children enrolled in a school must attend each school day as required by the principal unless:
• • they are absent because of illness, incapacity or other reasonable cause and their parents/guardians have notified the school. These students are deemed to be 'excused' (see Section 2.2.). 
  • the principal has required the student not to attend because of infestation or contagious disease. These students are deemed to be "excused" (see Section2.2.). 
  • the student is exempted from attendance (see section 2.3). This includes students who have been suspended, excluded, expelled or prohibited from attendance through an approved disciplinary process. 
  • the student has a Certificate for Part-time Attendance (see Section 2.4). 
• The principal must ensure that an official record of attendance is maintained for each enrolled student. This must include attendance at any offsite provision.
• A principal has duty of care for all students while they are attending at the required times. The principal must therefore ensure that a departmental record of the student's individual timetable based on their personalised learning program is maintained.
• The principal is responsible for following up unexplained absences for students enrolled at their school. 

2.2  Excused from attendance

• A school-aged child is excused from attendance at a school on any day if the child is prevented from attending because of sickness; or temporary physical or mental incapacity; or any other reasonable cause as approved by the principal; and a parent/guardian of the child has notified the school's principal.
• The principal may require a student not to attend a school during any day on which the student has an infestation or is suffering from any disease which, on advice from the Director of Public Health, the Secretary considers may be infections, contagious or harmful to the health of other persons at the school. Appendix 2 gives further details in relation to infections diseases.

2.3  Exemption from attendance

Exemption from attendance is when a school-aged child is exempted from attending a school (as distinct from enrolling in a school) in one of two ways: through exemption from attendance without application (section 2.3.1) or through the Secretary granting them an exemption (section 2.3.2).

2.3.1 Exemption from attendance without application

• Exemption from attendance without application is when a school-aged child is exempted from attending a school because:
  • the child is being home educated;
  • the child is suspended, excluded, expelled or prohibited from attendance;
  • a certificate of exemption from attendance issued on the initiative of the Secretary is in force in respect of the child;
  • the child attends what the parents believe to be a registered school. 
• An exemption under this section ceases to have effect on the day on which the event on which the exemption is based ceases to apply.

2.3.2 When the Secretary grants an exemption from attendance

• The Secretary in consultation with the Learning Services General Manager, may grant an exemption on his or her own initiative, following whatever investigation and requests for further information he or she considers appropriate.

2.4  Part-time attendance

• Part-time attendance is when a student is enrolled in a school but is participating part-time in an educational program endosed by the school.
• A student does not have part-time attendance status if they are participating off-campus in a full-time school-endorsed program.
• Part-time attendance may be appropriate when:
  • a child has a particular medical condition or is effected by medical treatment;
  • it is a condition for enrolment in an educational or vocational program being offered outside the Department of Education
  • a student has long-term prospects of stable employment;
  • particular circumstances impact on the child's capacity to engage in full-time schooling;
  • the child has special educational needs that can best be met through part-time attendance. 
• A student's part-time attendance status should be reviewed at least once per term.
• The Secretary has the authority to permit part-time attendance. A Learning Services General Manager has this delegated authority.
• Part-time attendance for students in State care should only be granted after very careful consideration of the student's circumstances and in close consultation with all the people involved in making decisions affection the student (e.g. carers, social workers, school psychologists, natural parents, youth justice workers, Children and Family Services, and advocates).
• Part-time attendance for students who are independent, living away from home and without the care of a parent/guardian/person with care and control should only be granted after very careful consideration of the student's circumstances. It is appropriate to expect the student to accept the legislative requirements of compulsory education. However, students in these circumstances may sign their own application for part-time attendance.
• The principal is responsible for:
  • maintaining a record of the part-time attendance details (individual timetable) of the student;
  • maintaining a record of the part-time attendance of students according to the requirements of their individual timetable and in accordance with DoE guidelines;
  • ensuring regular reviews are held of each student's part-time attendance arrangements. 

2.4.1 Where a parent applies for their child to be granted part-time attendance

• Parents should complete an Application for Part-time Attendance form which should be submitted to the school principal. The application should state clearly the period of part-time attendance that is being requested and the review preiod.
• The school principal should investigate the application and recommend its acceptance or rejection. A principal should not forward  an application for part-time attendance without providing a report which includes his or her recommendation.
• The report from the principal should:
  • state as fully as possible the reasons for the application and the outcomes that are anticipated;
  • state the time that the student will attend;
  • outline the degree of supervision and support which the school will provide for the student while not attending school;
  • show that, where appropriate, there has been consultation with other Government departments;
  • state the period of time for which the part-time attendance is requested, and mechanisms for review; 
  • ensure that the student is fully informed and counselled about the nature and implications of the application; and
  • discuss the possible mechanisms for resumption of full-time attendance.
• School social workers have a particular duty to investigate applications for part-time attendance and to liaise with relevant government agencies as required. A school social worker is required to provide a report on applications.
• The principal should send to the Learning Services General Manager a parent's application for the child's part-time attendance, together with his or her report and recommendation.
• The Learning Services General Manager may make any further investigation that he or she considers appropriate and will then either:
• • grant the application for part-time attendance, subject to any conditions; or
  • refuse the application for part-time attendance.
• When part-time attendance is granted, the Learning Services General Manager will forward to the child's parents a Certificate of Part-time Attendance, which will clearly state the period of part-time attendance, the student's individual timetable and any conditions. A copy of the certificate will be sent to the principal.

2.4.2 When a school initiates an application for part-rime attendance

• A principal, when he or she believes that it is in the best interests of the child's education for the child to attend school part-time, should apply to the Learning Services General Manager, using an Application for Part-time Attendance form.
• The application should be signed by the student's parents and should be accompanied by a full report.
• The report from the principal should:
  • state as fully as possible the reasons for the application and the outcomes that are anticipated;
  • state the time that the student will attend;
  • outline the degree of supervision and support which the school will provide for the student while not attending school, or the alternative educational program that has been devised;
  • provide evidence that the student's parents have been consulted and that a high degree of consultation has occurred with others concerned with the student;
  • show that, where appropriate, there has been consultation with other Government departments;
  • state the period of time for which the part-time attendance is requested, and mechanisms for review; 
  • ensure that the student is fully informed and counseled about the nature and implications of the application; and
  • discuss the possible mechanisms for resumption of full-time attendance.
• School social workers have a duty to investigate applications for part-time attendance and to liaise with relevant government agencies as required. A school social worker must provide a report on applications.
• The Learning Services General Manager may make any further investigation that he or she considers appropriate and will then either:
• • grant the application for part-time attendance, subject to any conditions; or
  • refuse the application for part-time attendance.
• When part-time attendance is granted, the Learning Services General Manager will forward to the child's parents a certificate of part-time attendance, which will clearly state the period of part-time attendance, the student's individual timetable and any conditions. A copy of the certificate will be sent to the principal.

2.4.3 Where an independent student applies to be granted part-time attendance

• Confirm independent status.
• An independent student should complete an Application for Part-time Attendance form which should be submitted to the school principal. The application should state clearly the period of part-time attendance that is being requested and the review period.
• The school principal should investigate the application and recommend its acceptance or rejection. A principal should not forward an application for part-time attendance without providing a report which includes his or her recommendation.
• The report from the principal should:
• • state as fully as possible the reasons for the application and the outcomes that are anticipated;
  • state the time that the student will attend;
  • outline the degree of supervision and support which the school will provide for the student while not attending school;
  • show that, where appropriate, there has been consultation with other Government departments;
  • state the period of time for which the part-time attendance is requested, and mechanisms for review; 
  • ensure that the student is fully informed and counselled about the nature and implications of the application; and
  • discuss the possible mechanisms for resumption of full-time attendance.
• School social workers have a duty to investigate applications for part-time attendance and to liaise with relevant government agencies as required. A school social worker must provide a report on applications.
• The principal should send to the Learning Services General Manager the indpendent student's application for part-time attendance, together with his or her report and recommendation.
• The Learning Services General Manager may make any further investigation that he or she considers appropriate and will then either:
• grant the application for part-time attendance, subject to any conditions; or
• refuse the application for part-time attendance.
• When part-time attendance is granted, the Learning Services General Manager will forward to the independent student a Certificate of Part-time Attendance, which will clearly state the period of part-time attendance, the student's individual timetable and any conditions. A copy of the certificate will be sent to the principal.

2.4.4 When the Secretary grants part-time attendance

The Secretary, through consultation with the Learning Services General Manager, may grant part-time attendance on his or her own initiative, following whatever investigation and requests for further information he or she considers appropriate.