By law you are required to send your child to school each school day as required by the Principal unless they are sick; have an infectious disease or have been suspended, excluded, expelled or prohibited.

It is your responsibility to let the school know as soon as possible if your child is away and to provide the reason for their absence.

You must also tell the school when you know that your child is going to be away so that their absence is recorded as ‘authorised’.

2. When it is okay not to send my child to school?

It is okay not to send your child to school if they are sick; have an infectious disease or have been suspended, excluded, expelled or prohibited.

3. Can I keep my child home on his/her birthday?

No. Children are expected to attend every school day, including on their birthday.

For a young child, you might like to mention to their teacher that it is the child’s birthday so the teacher has the opportunity to make it a special day for the child.

4. What can I do if my child doesn’t want to go to school?

Talk with your child about his/her reasons for not wanting to go to school. Discuss the problem with your child and resolve it if possible. If your child is still refusing to attend school, you must contact your child’s teacher or Principal to discuss what support is available for you and your child.

5. How do I inform the schools of my child’s absence?

• Phone the school office to report your child’s absence.
• If you are unable to phone the school and your child has a sibling at the same school, a signed note explaining your child’s absence is sufficient.
• If you have been unable to contact the school office, send a note with your child upon their return to school explaining their absence.
• If your child is away for more than 5 days in a school year because of illness, a medical certificate may be required by the Principal.

6. Can I text the school that my child will be absent?

Yes, at some schools.

Some schools have established a text messaging service for absenteeism. In these schools a text message can be sent to a nominated number explaining your child’s absence. Contact your school to see if they have a nominated number.

A phone call is preferred if your child is away for several days in a row.

7. Can I check if my child was at school today?

Yes. You can make contact with the school to ask for information about your child’s attendance.

If the contact is by phone or text, the school may request identification information from you.

8. Will someone from my school contact me if my child is away?

Yes. You will be contacted if you are Parent/Guardian 1 on your child’s enrolment form and if

• Your child is away and his/her absence is not explained.
• Your child has a history of unexplained non-attendance.
• There is the possibility of legal action over your child’s non-attendance.

The school has a process it uses to follow up on unexplained absences and attendance issues.

9. We are going on holidays for 2 weeks. What should we do?

You should contact your school Principal and obtain his/her approval for your child to be absent during term time. If you are planning to be away for longer than this you can discuss with your school what resources might be available to assist you to support your child’s learning while he/she is away.