Attendance

Since 2008, education and/or training is compulsory for students until the end of the year in which they turn 17. Under legislation it is the duty of the parent/carer to ensure that a student of compulsory school age is enrolled and attends school or a registered training institution.

Regular attendance is essential to assist students to maximise their learning potential. The probability of success in learning is strongly linked to regular attendance equal or greater than 90%.

Willetton Senior High School:

• Believes that students enrolled must attend all day on every school day.
• Monitors, communicates and implements strategies to improve a student’s attendance in consultation and with support from carers.
• Believes truanting places students in unsafe situations.
• Gives detentions to those students who choose to deliberately miss classes or arrive late at school without reason.
• Notifies parents of any truancy breaches.

Indicators of students at risk are;

• frequent lateness
• leaving school without permission (truancy)
• unexplained absences.

Parents/carers will be contacted by the Student Services team if the student is deemed to be at risk due to poor attendance.

Attendance Procedures

All students must;

• be at school during their normal timetabled hours, or
• be absent only with their parents’ or the school’s permission.

The school must be notified if students are absent from school for an entire day email or a message left on the attendance line or by a note of explanation as soon as they return. Parents should clearly state the student’s first name, surname, tutor group, the date(s) and reason for the absence. The note must be placed in the box located near the entrance of Student Services. Parents are requested to ring the school by 9.00am on the day of their child’s absence unless the student is missing an assessment. Please refer to Willetton Senior High School Assessment Policies.

All students late to school must report to the Student Services Centre with a note before attending class.

Students needing to leave during the day must;

• bring a parent’s note stating permission to leave, which outlines the reason and the time the student needs to leave
• report to the Student Services Centre prior to school or during recess/lunch time, have their name recorded and receive a Leave Pass from the reception desk
• Sign in at the Student Services Centre if they return to school later that day

The school will support students who do not meet the minimum attendance requirements in one or more of the following ways:

• The student will meet with the Year Coordinator to discuss possible issues surrounding attendance.
• Parents will be invited to an informal meeting.
• Parents and students will be invited to attend an Individual Attendance Plan (IAP) meeting.
• Parents will be invited to participate in a Responsible Parenting Agreement (RPA).
• The student may be referred to the Student Engagement Team at regional office for further support and strategies to improve attendance.
• Monitoring and review of attendance, and subsequent meetings including an invitation to convene and participate in an Attendance Panel.

Failure to adequately engage with the Student Services team on issues to improve attendance and therefore jeopardise educational outcomes may result in regional office being invited to offer further support in the home and school through outside agency referrals.

Students are expected to attend school on all days including sports carnivals, cultural days and excursion days. Punctuality in arrival at school is a requisite. Hours of attendance at Willetton Senior High School are 8:30am-2:45pm unless the student has a session 0 or 6 class under a flexible timetable arrangement.

Students who are late or miss school due to sickness must have a note, text or email sent to Willetton Senior High School by a parent or caregiver.

We strongly discourage parents from taking planned holidays during term time. The school strongly encourages scheduled school holidays for personal holiday planning.

Willetton Senior High School acknowledges that holidays are an enriching experience, but by law, every student is expected to attend school every day. Teachers are not obliged to accommodate students on holiday with learning programs. Catch up work will be provided when a student is absent in the case of illness.

Parents who wish to take students out of school for the purpose of a family holiday for longer than two school days are required to apply to Mr Brad Spicer, Deputy Principal of Student Services by email Bradley.Spicer@education.wa.edu.au, or in writing, at least one month prior to the intended holiday absence using the format below:

Name of student/s:

Year/s:

Reason for absence:

Dates students will not be attending school: from____________ to______________

Parent/Carer name:

Contact phone number:

Signed:

Date: