Attendance
Attendance at school is both a legal requirement and a key factor in student achievement, with clear expectations outlined for all families under NSW education law.
Compulsory schooling
Under the Education Act 1990 (NSW), parents and carers must ensure children of compulsory school age (6–17 years) are enrolled and attend school regularly.
Students must:
- Start school by age 6 and complete Year 10, and
- After Year 10, remain in school, training, or full-time (25+ hrs/week) employment until age 17.
Attendance expectations
The NSW Department of Education expects all students to maintain at least 95% attendance. Attendance below 90% places students at educational risk.
Justified absences may include:
- Illness or infectious disease (medical certificate encouraged)
- Unavoidable medical appointments
- Religious or cultural observances
- Urgent family matters (e.g. funerals)
Unjustified absences include:
- Birthdays, haircuts, sleeping in
- Work commitments during school hours
All absences must be explained within 7 days, preferably via SMS, email or the Sentral Parent Portal. Even when explained, absences still affect a student’s overall attendance rate.
Extended leave - travel
Families are encouraged to travel during school holidays however this is not always possible or sometimes an unexpected reason for travelling during a school term arises.
If you are travelling with your student during the school term for any particular reason e.g family holiday, out of town medical appointment, unforeseen circumstance, it is preferred that you complete and submit an 'Application for extended leave - travel' form. This can be collected at the attendance office. There is no upper or lower limit of days that can be applied for under the Application. Please submit the completed application form together with copies of any documentation such as airline ticket bookings, travel itineraries to the Attendance Office. If approved, a Certificate of Extended Leave - Travel will be issued and the period of the absence will be recorded against your student’s attendance record as “explained/leave”. You will need to take the Certificate with you on your travel as you may be asked to show it as justification for having your child out of school for an extended period.
If the application is not approved by the Principal, the school cannot stop you from taking your student out of school but their period of absence will be recorded as “explained/unjustified".
Late arrivals & early departures
Students must arrive by 8:58am for roll call.
- Late arrivals: report to the Attendance Office with a parent note or phone explanation.
- Early departures: provide a note before school for an Early Leave Pass.
Whenever possible, schedule appointments outside school hours. If collecting a student early, please contact the school in advance.
Monitoring attendance - Sentral Parent Portal
Parents/carers can:
- View attendance records
- Explain absences or future leave
- Receive important messages and book interviews
For more information, go to our parent portal tab, or contact our attendance office for an access key.
If attendance becomes a concern
Parents/carers hold legal responsibility for ensuring attendance. Unexplained absences of 10 consecutive school days or ongoing non-attendance may lead to:
- A mandatory child protection report, and/or
- Referral to the Home School Liason Program (which may result in legal action if not resolved).
How parents can help:
- Make school attendance a daily expectation
- Encourage healthy routines (sleep, homework, limited device use)
- Schedule appointments outside school hours
- Monitor attendance via Sentral
- Communicate early with the school if issues arise
- Seek support from teachers, Year Advisors, Wellbeing Team, or external services such as Headspace
We are here to help
If you have concerns about your child's attendance, contact us or speak with your child's classroom teacher, year advisor, wellbeing team or deputy principal.
