Rationale
All schools in Queensland are committed to providing safe and supportive learning environments for all students which address their educational needs.
Taranganba State School expects all children to be at school every day that they are enrolled.
Our attendance policy aims to ensure students can have the greatest opportunity to achieve and parents are supported to ensure students attend school.
School community beliefs about the importance of attending school
It is important that students, staff and parents/carers have a shared understanding of the importance of attending school. Taranganba State School
- is committed to promoting the key messages of Every Day Counts
- believes all children should be enrolled at school and attend school all day, every school day
- monitors, communicates and implements strategies to improve regular school attendance
- believes truanting can place a student in unsafe situations and impact on their future employability and life choices
- believe attendance at school is the responsibility of everyone in the community.
Reporting and monitoring attendance
At Taranganba State School reports of absence or truanting are taken seriously. Students, parents, members of community and school staff may report an absence in the following ways:
- Phoning the school 49251888
- Email absence information to admin@taranganbass.eq.edu.au
- Written notification to the school
- Responding to idAttend text message
- Using QParent to report absences in advance
Responsibilities
School responsibilities:
- monitor student attendance daily using electronic roll marking
- follow up absences by contacting parents when student absences exceed three school days consecutively or display a pattern of absences
- meet with parents to discuss reasons for their child’s high levels of unexplained absences or lateness, to identify practical strategies for getting students to school on time
- send letters to parents weekly to enable explanation of unexplained absences
- provide options for parents to report absences through absence line, absence slip mailbox, phone calls and written communication to teachers
- discuss absences with parents to collaboratively develop plans to address absenteeism
- set targets for enrolment and report targets to parents regularly
- foster positive classroom engagement and provide when necessary learning plans that are adjusted to
- support students achievement collaboratively with parents
Student responsibilities:
- attend school
- participate in school activities
- report any concerns to your teacher or parent
Parent responsibilities:
Parents and caregivers must send children to school every school day under Queensland law unless there is an acceptable reason such as:
- illness
- participating in school sporting and cultural events, competitions, camps and excursions
If your child is going to be absent from school, you must let the school know why the absence has occurred within two school days of their return. If possible, it is best to advise the school beforehand.
Avoid keeping your child away from school for reasons such as:
- Birthdays
- Shopping
- Visiting family and friends
- Sleeping in
- Looking after other children
- Minor check-ups or care, such as haircuts
Routine medical or other health appointments should be made either before or after school or during the school holidays.
Strategies
At Taranganba State School we promote 100% attendance by:
- Using the newsletter and website to remind parents of how to report students absences
- Providing programs to support students learning needs through collaboration with parents
- Following up unexplained absences by providing letters weekly to explain absences
- Using the school alert system to ensure early and proactive intervention occurs
Responses to absences
At Taranganba State School we are committed to achieving the following targets in improving attendance:
- 94% attendance for all year levels for all students each term
- Reduction in instructional days lost due to school events, sporting and cultural activities
- Reducing end of term absences by ensuring curriculum programs continue
- Monitoring absence patterns using school absence reporting
When a student is absent without explanation for 3 days or a pattern of absences has been identified, Taranganba State School will take the following actions:
- Class teacher will check school records for parent notification of absence
- Class teacher to discuss with parent possible issues related to attendance
- Class teacher will make contact with parent and record contact on One School
- Class teacher notifies Year level leader and meets to discuss attendance issues
Referral to school administration team for follow up to occur if no response from parent/carer.
At Taranganba State School the consequences or impacts of unexplained or unauthorised absences might include the following:
- Children achieve better when they attend school all day, every day they are enrolled
- It is difficult for children to keep up with the curriculum and their peers is they are not attending school
- regularly
- Children see themselves as learners if they attend regularly and participate in class and school activities
- Going to school means a better chance at making friends
- Children have a brighter future by attending school on every day they are enrolled