Attendance: The Facts

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Student learning is maximised by student attendance at all timetabled classes.

At Hallam Secondary College we have a minimum 90% attendance expectation.

The following information has been put together to assist you to understand the importance of attending and arriving on time to all of your classes. Attending each of your classes and being there on time should be your priority.

If a student misses 10% of classes in any subject for unapproved reasons the sub school Liason Officer will triage a review of attendance. The attendance review may lead to a fail in this unit. Students are to ensure that they have a documented reason for any absence (eg. Medical certificate) and present this document to their Sub School Engagement Officer.

If a student becomes ill during the day, they need to report to the General Office and a parent/guardian will be contacted so they can be taken home. Students will be required to sign out.

The school does not administer medication including headache tablets such as aspirin or panadol.

Absences due to family holidays during term are not normally approved.

Parents are advised to contact the appropriate Sub School regarding the reporting of student absence.

Attendance – Things You Must Know

  • If you know that you are going to be absent, please ask your parent(s) to ring the sub-school you are affiliated with and advise them.
  • You may fail a subject if you have more than 10% unapproved absence. This means 3 single periods in a term without approval of absence will risk failure.
  • Approved absences include those with a medical certificate or school excursions, school sport, school functions.
  • Medical certificates are to be handed into your sub-school office.
  • All teachers, student engagement and wellbeing staff and sub-school staff will be monitoring your attendance and lateness to class closely.
  • Your parents will be contacted directly, by phone after two unexplained absences and lateness.
  • If you are late to school you must go to the sub-school office to receive a pass before you go to your class.
  • Minutes you are late to each class is recorded by your teachers and adds to the percentage of total absence.
  • You will fail a subject if your unapproved absences are over 10% even if you have passed the subject academically.
  • All absences from classes where there is a SAC, must have an approved absence to be scored. No medical certificate or school excursion, you sit the SAC for a 0 score.
  • If you need to leave the school grounds you must ‘sign out’ in your sub-school office.
  • If you are ill or there is an emergency, you must go to the General office.
  • Please be aware that every term, unapproved absence percentages are reported to Centrelink and Family Tax Benefit payments can be affected.
  • Remember – each minute you are late to any class it is recorded and is added to your percentage of unapproved absences.
  • Please read your student diary which contains more detail about the importance of student attendance.