Why Attendance Matters

School is compulsory for children aged 6 to 17 in Victoria, unless an approved Department of Education and Training Victoria exemption has been granted.

Going to school every day is an important part of your child’s education. Children and young people learn new things at school every day, connect with friends and develop good habits that help them to succeed now and in later years.

Attending and participating in school regularly will help your child:

• Develop important skills and knowledge to help them learn.
• Develop social and emotional skills such as good communication, resilience and team-work.
• Establish friendships with peers which help develop self-esteem and a sense of belonging.

There is no good number of days for missing school

What If My Child Can’t Go To School?

As a parent/carer, you are legally required to ensure your child attends school every day, and if your child is absent you must provide an explanation. Our rigorous approach to having your children here with us – and always knowing why they’re not – is not just about data or ticking boxes. It’s about your child – their learning, their friendships, their confidence, and their wellbeing. Every day at school helps build those important connections and habits that set them up for success.

Reporting Absences

If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify the College as soon as possible, on the day of absence using one of the following methods:

1. Log in to Compass Parent Portal and log the absence directly.
2. Phone the College on 9368 9800 and let the staff know your child’s name, class, date of absences and the reason.
3. Email the College on truganina.p9.co@education.vic.gov.au and provide your child’s name, class, date of absences and reason.

We acknowledge and understand that parents/carers/guardians may be juggling various challenges to get their children to school every day, so openly communicating with us about all absences is important! If you’re having attendance challenges with your child or if your child needs to take an extended period of time off, please let their classroom teacher know as soon as possible. There are things we can do together to ensure your child is supported to attend or can stay up to date with their learning and engagement whilst away.

What Happens When My Child Is Absent?

All Schools across Victoria need to know when and why a student is absent, so you must let us know on the day of the absence and explain why your child can’t come to school. If you do not let the school know, we must follow Department of Education guidelines that requires a staff member to contact you on the same day to make sure your child is safe.

Truganina P9 College will always keep a record of the reason provided for each absence. This will be marked under a category such as medical/illness, bereavement (including Sorry Business), truancy, family holiday and religious or cultural observance. As parents/carers/guardians, there may be additional reasons you choose to keep your child at home to those listed above  – these are recorded as Parent Choice.

If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained which triggers our follow up process.

 If your child’s attendance continues to decrease:

• We will monitor attendance data to track student engagement and wellbeing.

• We will continue to contact parents/carers/guardians/emergency contacts when students for all absences without explanation.

• For unexplained or repeated absences, we will work with families to understand any barriers and help address them – which could involve phone calls with leadership or meetings at school.

• Under certain circumstances (for example, where absence occurs without valid reason five or more days in a 12-month period and families cannot be contacted), official procedures may be followed as required by Victorian legislation.

Expectations Around Family Holidays During The School Term

The Department of Education expects that students do not have time away during the school term as absences directly impacts their learning. We do understand that on unexpected occasions, family circumstances do require travel during the term. We understand that spending time with family is important, however we ask that you try to schedule this in school holidays to ensure your child’s learning and development is not impacted.

If you do have to take leave during the school term for a family holiday we request that you:

•  Advise the school via email (truganina.p9.co@education.vic.gov.au) at least 2 weeks prior to departure.
• Provide clear travel dates, specifically the date your child will return to school.
• If your travel dates change or need to be extended, please reach out via email to let us know the new circumstances.

Please note: Family Holiday Leave during the school term is a counted absence and will be recorded on the students enrolment record and semester reports.

What Can Families Do To Support Attendance?

• Aim for your child to arrive at school on time before 8:45am, ready to start learning with their classmates.

• If possible, schedule appointments outside school hours/during school holidays and do your best to keep family holidays to outside term time.

• If your child must be absent, contact the school as soon as you know. Let us know the reason and expected return date.

• Talk to us if your child is experiencing challenges that affect attendance – we’re here to help and support.

Supporting Every Student’s Learning & Wellbeing

Our school community is committed to giving each student the opportunity to succeed – academically, socially and emotionally. Regular attendance is an important part of that commitment. By working together (school + families) we can support attendance, address challenges early, and make sure every student gets the most out of their education.

If you have any questions about attendance or need support, please contact the school office or your child’s teacher – we’re always happy to help.