What to do When Your Child is Absent from School

If your child is absent from school, it is essential that the College is informed promptly and accurately to meet attendance obligations and ensure student safety.

1. Notification on the First Day of Absence:

• Parents or guardians must notify the College early on the first day of their child’s absence. This can be done via:
  • Telephone
  • Email: info@stedwards.nsw.edu.au
  • The COMPASS Parent App
• Please include the reason for the absence and the anticipated return date.
• Parents are requested to take responsibility for this communication directly, do not delegate this responsibility.

2.   Failure to Notify on the First Day:

• If you are unable to notify the College on the first day of absence, a written explanation must be provided upon your child’s return to school.

3.   Extended or Frequent Absences:

• For prolonged or recurrent absences due to illness, the Principal may require a medical certificate to verify the reason for the absences.

Early Leave Pass

To uphold the College’s duty of care, strict procedures are in place for students who need to leave during the school day.

1. Appointments During School Hours:

• The College encourages parents to schedule appointments outside school hours whenever possible. However, if your child must leave during the day, the following process must be followed:
  • Provide your child with a written note addressed to their Pastoral Leader, outlining the reason for leaving early.
  • Your child must present this note to Student Reception in the morning to receive an Early Leave Pass.

2.  Collection of Students:

• At the time specified in the Early Leave Pass, the student must sign out at Student Reception. Parents or guardians must collect the student from Student Reception directly.
• For safety reasons, students in Years 7-11 are not permitted to leave school grounds unaccompanied or to catch public transport during school hours.

3.  Year 12 Students:

• Year 12 students who drive to school are required to follow the Early Leave Pass procedure and must sign out at Student Reception before leaving the College grounds.
• Students with flexible timetables must still sign in and out at Student Reception but are not required to provide a parental note for their movements outside scheduled classes.

The College encourages parents not to make appointments to see doctors etc during school hours, but we understand that this is not always avoidable. If a student is required to leave school throughout the day, we ask parents to write a note addressed to the Pastoral Leader outlining the reasons for leaving early. The student presents this to their Pastoral Leader in the morning and they will be issued with an Early Leavers Pass. The student is required to bring the Early Leavers Pass to student reception at the time he needs to sign out and we ask that parents make arrangements to collect their son from student reception. We have a duty of care to all students and no student in Years 7-11 will be permitted to leave the school grounds to catch a public bus at any time throughout the day. Year 12 students who drive to school are required to follow the same arrangements regarding the Early Leavers Pass to attend an appointment and sign out at reception prior to leaving the College grounds. Year 12 students who have a flexible timetable, still need to sign in and out at student reception but do not need a note from their parents.

What to do When Your Child is Late to School

• All students who arrive at school after the bell goes at 8.45 am must sign in at Student Reception as soon as they arrive at school, before they go to class. They will be issued with a late note to present to their class teacher.
• If your son is late for school, parents/carers must provide the school office with a written note/email (info@stedwards.nsw.edu.au) explaining the lateness in order for it to be recorded as an Explained Late Arrival. This note should be signed and dated by the parent/carer. (An appointment card from a medical provider will also be accepted).  Where possible the note should be provided when your child arrives at school. If not, the note/email should be provided on the next school day. If the lateness has not been explained by the next school day, the lateness will be recorded as Unexplained Late Arrival.
• Students who regularly arrive late to school are monitored closely. Where a pattern of lateness continues, parents will be notified and students may be required to make up this time out of school hours.

Applications for Leave in Advance

• A note must be submitted to your son’s Home Room Teacher at least two weeks prior to the leave, indicating the reason.
• Leave may be granted for reasons such as:

        – a misadventure or unforeseen event

        – participation in special events not related to the school (e.g. receiving a community award)

        – domestic necessity such as serious illness of an immediate family member

        – attendance at funerals

        – recognised religious festivals or ceremonies

        – reasons which, at the Principal’s discretion, are deemed to be in the best interest of the child

• Leave will not be granted for family holidays taken during term time. (This will be recorded as Unexplained or Unjustified Leave)
• Only in exceptional circumstances will leave be granted without notice or retrospectively.

What Happens if my Child Continues to have Unacceptable Absences?

It is important to understand that St Edward’s College is required by law to take further action where children of compulsory school age have recurring numbers of unexplained or unacceptable absences from school.

• Parents will be contacted if a student has three or more day’s unexplained absence from school.
• Students at risk will attend a meeting with their parents and the Director of Pastoral Care and Wellbeing, to develop a plan for improved school attendance.
• The student may be required to meet with College Counsellors.
• NSW Department of Education and Communities may be notified.
• If concerns regarding the welfare of the child exist, NSW Community Services may be notified.

Text Messages Notifying Absenteeism

Any day that a student is absent from the College unexplained, a text message will be sent to the student’s parent/carer. If parents/carers are aware of their son’s absence, they need to inform the College via SMS, email, phone or written note of his absence. If parents are unaware of their son’s absence, they should contact the College immediately.

Please be aware that under the legislation we are bound to place absences on the boys Academic Reports. And all leave will be clearly outlined including sick and unexplained absences.