Attendance

Orange Grove Public School is committed to promoting regular school attendance to support student wellbeing, engagement and academic success. Regular attendance enables students to fully participate in learning, build positive relationships and develop a strong sense of belonging within the school community. Attendance at school is a shared responsibility between students, parents and carers, and the school. This K-6 Attendance policy aligns with the NSW Department of Education School Attendance Policy and Student Attendance in NSW Public Schools Procedures.

Expectations of attendance

Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring their child attends school every day the school is open for instruction unless there is a justified reason for absence. Parents and carers are expected to provide an explanation for absences within 7 days.

At Orange Grove Public School:

All class rolls are marked by teachers by 9:10am each morning.

The school office follows up any unmarked rolls with a phone call to teachers to ensure attendance records are accurate.

Parents and carers receive a daily SMS notification through School Bytes when a child is marked absent by the class teacher.

Teachers monitor attendance patterns and follow up with families after 3 consecutive days of non-attendance where contact has not already occurred.

The school requests that absences of 3 days or longer are supported by a medical certificate.

Attendance monitoring and support

Orange Grove Public School regularly monitors student attendance data to identify patterns of concern and provide support where required. The school works collaboratively with families to address barriers impacting attendance and to promote positive attendance habits.

Where attendance concerns arise, the school may:

contact parents or carers to discuss concerns

develop attendance improvement strategies

refer families to additional supports or services

seek support from within the NSW Department of Education’s Learning and Wellbeing Team where required.

The school is committed to working respectfully and collaboratively with families to support every student to attend school regularly and engage successfully in learning.

Explained and unexplained absences

Absences may be justified for reasons such as:

illness or medical appointments

approved leave

exceptional family circumstances

cultural or religious obligations.

The principal may request additional documentation where required and has the authority to determine whether an absence is justified or unjustified in line with Department procedures.

If an absence is not explained within 7 days, it will be recorded as unjustified in accordance with Department requirements.

Extended leave and travel

Applications for extended leave or travel during school terms should be submitted to the principal in advance via the form in School Bytes. Requests will be considered in line with NSW Department of Education procedures and requires supporting documentation. Parents are encouraged to take holidays outside of the school term.

Part-day exemptions for allied health appointments

Orange Grove Public School recognises that some students may need to attend appointments with allied health professionals during school hours. Requests for part-day exemptions to attend appointments such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychology or other specialist services will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

While the school acknowledges the importance of these services, families are encouraged to make appointments outside of school hours wherever possible to minimise disruption to student learning, classroom routines and continuity of instruction. Part Day exemptions are approved by the Director, Educational Leadership.

Orange Grove Public School regularly communicates the importance of school attendance with students, staff and families through newsletters, School Bytes communications and meetings with families where required. The school promotes a whole-school approach to attendance and recognises that strong partnerships between home and school support improved outcomes for students.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the NSW Department of Education School Attendance Policy.

Policy to be reviewed in Term 1 2027.