Byron Bay High School logo

Byron Bay High School

Byron Bay High School

The Future is Ours

Telephone02 6685 8188

Emailbyronbay-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Attendance

Byron Bay High School Attendance Policy

Students are required to attend school on each day the school is open. It is the responsibility of students and Parents/Carers to ensure that students attend school regularly. Byron Bay High School uses an electronic attendance system. Byron Bay High School will text parents/carers to inform them if their child is absent from school. Parents can respond to this text with a legitimate reason, and this will count as an explained absence. Absences are recorded as being either justified or unjustified on student school reports. Attendance in each course will also appear on students reports.

The Education Act requires the Principal to review students’ attendance patterns if they have an unsatisfactory pattern of attendance.

Absences

  • Official student attendance is recorded during period 1 each day.
  • Student attendance is monitored each period and absences are recorded.
  • Truancy is notified to the Deputy Principal.
  • Students are issued with a Student ID Card to use for Attendance.

Extended Absences

  • If students will be absent for more than two (2) days, parents should contact the school:
  • Inform the school of a possible return date;
  • If well enough, request work through the Year Adviser.

Notification of Student Absence

  • Students who are absent need to provide a notification explaining that absence within seven days. Preferably by replying to the SMS that same day.
  • In relation to sick leave, the note must provide a reasonable and specific explanation of the student’s sickness. In cases where sickness is in excess of four school days, medical certificates detailing the nature of the sickness and the duration of the sickness are required.
  • The Deputy Principal or Year Adviser will make contact with parents when student absenteeism becomes a concern.
  • In the case of students absent sick for examinations and/or assessment tasks a medical certificate is required along with an Illness Misadventure Form (from Deputy Principal).
  • If a student has been absent from school and has not supplied an acceptable note within seven days they are recorded as an Unexplained Absence.

Leave may be approved by the principal for some situations where documentation is provided:

  • Misadventure and unforeseen events, eg. fire, flood.
  • Industrial disputes.
  • Participation in special events, e.g. eisteddfod or equestrian events.
  • Family holidays which cannot be taken within the normal school vacation period.
  • Domestic necessity, e.g. death of an immediate relative or care provider, recognised religious holidays or ceremonies.

NB: Travel exemption forms must be completed.

Senior attendance

  • It is expected that Senior students will attend school regularly and will participate in associated activities and assemblies. Satisfactory completion of any course for the Preliminary or Higher School Certificates requires that classes be attended regularly and that application and effort be acceptable. Where attendance is deemed to be unsatisfactory a Certificate or Record of Achievement may not be issued.

Year 12

Students must sign in at the front office when they arrive at school if they do not have class in the first period.
If their last period is prior to period 6, students may sign out through the front office.

For further information please go to the department webpage Student Attendance in Government Schools for the School Attendance Policy.