Parents & Community - Student Absence
Do you need to let the school know if your child will be away from school?
Yes, you need to let the front office or classroom teacher know the reason why your child is going to be, or has been, absent from school, as soon as possible. Where possible, please discuss any upcoming absences in advance so we can let you know of important learning or activities your child will miss out on.
This requires a responsible person, usually a parent, to provide a reason for the absence within three school days.
Having information about why your child is missing school helps us plan for their return to school, and work out whether we can provide any further help to you. Please note that all instances of vacation that occur inside school terms are classified as unauthorised absences. The school policy is to not provide work for students to complete during their family holidays.
Absences can be notified by phone, SMS, email or a written note to the class teacher.
The Principal decides if the reason given for your child’s absence is acceptable, however If the following reasons are given these will all be marked as an unacceptable reason:
- is celebrating a birthday
- is visiting family and friends
- has family and friends visiting
- has slept in or had a big weekend
- is looking after other children
- has sport or other recreational activities that have not been approved by the school
- has appointment such as haircuts and minor check ups
The School Education Act 1999 does not allow principals to give permission for families to take holidays during the school term. As students are required to attend school every day, time off for holidays is recorded as an absence.
If possible, routine medical and other health appointments should be made either before or after school, or during the school holidays.
Mobile phone Short Message Service (SMS)
This is used to send text messages to parents/guardians notifying them of an unexplained absence of their child. SMS may also be used to provide information to parents for emergency situations and unplanned events, such as school closures.
Parents are informed by SMS to their mobile phone, each time their child is absent and an explanation has not already been provided to the school. If your child is absent and a reason has been provided before the time the SMS is due to be sent, you will not receive a text message.
River Valley Primary School introduced SMS communications to build on existing attendance procedures and to ensure that parents are notified as soon as possible, if their child is absent from school without an explanation. This system has been shown to assist in making schools (and parents) more aware of where students are, and improve student attendance. These factors will enhance learning opportunities for all students and contribute to their safety.
ADVANTAGES OF USING SMS TO COMMUNICATE TO PARENTS
Faster Communication
It takes a long time for school staff to individually make phone calls to each parent. By using SMS, schools can get important messages to parents faster and can send a message to one or more people instantly. Parents can also use this system to notify the school of their child/ren’s absence, to avoid receiving a text message. The school can be contacted by SMS 24/7 for student absences.
Cost effective
It can be expensive, from a monetary and time perspective, for school staff to individually phone large numbers of parents regarding student absences. SMS communication to parents will be less expensive for the school and for parents replying via SMS. It also removes the need for parents to wait in telephone queues to provide an explanation for a student absence. The requirement for the school to issue absentee follow-up letters will also decrease.
Emergency Message
If there is an emergency situation that requires rapid communication to parents, this can be achieved using SMS. This communication would not usually be possible without the use of SMS.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SMS COMMUNICATIONS
As a parent, what do I need to do?
If you know your child is going to be absent, please contact the school well before the set SMS sending time, which will be every school day. If you do not contact the school, the SMS system will automatically send you a text message advising you that your child is not at school.
How do I reply to an SMS message from the school?
When you receive an SMS about an absence, reply to the number and make sure that the text includes the student name, date of absence and reason for absence. Do not call the number as it is an automated system, using a virtual number which is not manned by a person.
Sample SMS Reply Message: Jane Citizen, 11 Feb, sick
What will it cost me?
Standard SMS charges apply, depending on your mobile phone carrier and plan. The cost of an SMS is usually cheaper than a local telephone call.
What if my mobile number changes?
Please notify the school immediately if your mobile number changes.
What if I don’t have a mobile phone but I still want to receive messages/information about my child? Please contact the school to discuss the available options for receiving messages/information.
What if there is a custodial order preventing contact?
The parent/guardian with legal custody of the child must provide evidence to the school in the form of a court order for the school to legally deny a parent/guardian access to any information about their child. If you have already provided the school with this documentation you don't need to do so again, as this has been taken into account when setting up the system.
What are the requirements for notification of student absences?
It is a legal requirement that parents contact the school regarding any student absences or reasons for lateness. If an explanation for the absence has been provided prior to each morning, then parents will not receive an SMS.
Parents need to be aware that this system is an additional absence follow up service only. There will be times when parents may not receive a text message due to technical issues. In cases where you are concerned about your child’s attendance, please contact the school directly.