The Virtual Number for SMS regarding attendance 0437 484 342. Parents can send through attendance information via the virtual number. Please note this number is not for general communication, only for attendance.
Attendance can also be pushed through to the school's email via the SDPS App. Alternatively Parents can phone the front desk on 9268 8600.
In order to ensure the school has evidence of absences; please provide where possible, a medical certificate, a note from a health professional, an appointment card for a health professional, or have a conversation with a member of the school's Execuitve Team which we can keep on file.
School Education Act 1999 (copy in the downloads section below)
- When student excused from attendance
(1) In this section —
responsible person, in relation to a student, means —
(a) a parent of the student; or
(b) in the case of a student who has turned 18 or who is a prescribed child, the student; or
(c) a person whose details have been provided under section 16(1)(b)(ii)(II).
(2) A student is excused from attending at school, or from participating in an educational programme of the school, on any day —
(a) if the student is prevented from attending at school, or from participating in the educational programme by —
(i) temporary physical or mental incapacity; or
(ii) any other reasonable cause; and
(b) if a responsible person has notified the principal of the cause of the student’s non-attendance or
non-participation —
(i) as soon as is practicable; and
(ii) in any case within 3 school days of the day on which the non-attendance started;
and
(c) where under paragraph (b) the incapacity of the student is given as the cause, if the responsible person provides the principal with a certificate in support from a registered medical practitioner if requested to do so by the principal.
(3) A notification to a principal under subsection (2)(b) may be given in any way that is determined by the principal to be acceptable, either generally or in a particular case.
(4) A student is excused from attending at school, or from participating in an educational programme of the school, on any day if —
(a) a parent of the student has applied, or intends to apply, to be registered under section 48 as the student’s home educator; and
(b) the parent has notified the principal in writing of the application or intended application —
(i) as soon as is practicable; and
(ii) in any case within 3 school days of the day on which the non-attendance started.
What does a half day absence involve?
Attendance rates will be included in all end of Semester reports to parents and students will regularly bring home updates. Attendance is reported in percentage form against half day absences. A half day is defined by a minimum of two hours of continuous instruction time being attended by a student. A student who arrives late or leaves after 2:30pm is recorded as 'arriving late' or 'leaving early'. They are not recorded as absent if they have attended the minimum instructional time for the half day.
Attendance requirements
Education is compulsory for students from the beginning of the year they turn 5 years 6 months, until the end of the year in which they turn 17. From 2014, this will become until the end of the year in which the student reaches the age of 17 years and six months, or until the student reaches the age of 18, whichever happens first.
Students must attend school on a regular basis to gain the maximum benefit from schooling and optimise their life opportunities. Research has established that every day counts and that there is no safe level of absence from school.
In Term Vacations are not supported by SDPS. Parents who intend to take their child out of school during term are required to advise the school in writing of their intentions.
Why is it important to ensure that my child attends school regularly?
Apart from the legal requirement to attend, it is vital that children every day for the sake of their future successes, academically and emotionally as well as in regards to employment choices. It is very important that parents help children to develop good attendance career from the very beginning by ensuring that they attend kindergarten or school whenever possible.
Current research points to a strong link between regular and consistent attendance patterns established in the early years of schooling and those patterns continuing throughout a student’s career.
The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research report, Student Attendance and Educational Outcomes; Every Day Counts on Western Australian students clearly shows that every day counts in terms of a student’s achievement and that those students who miss any school have reduced academic outcomes compared with those who attend regularly.
- The impact of absence on achievement is greatest for students who are already at educational disadvantage.
- Unauthorised absences have a greater negative impact on student achievement than authorised absences.
- Being half an hour late to school each day from Year 1 to Year 10 is approximately equivalent to missing one year of schooling.
- A student who is absent 1 day a fortnight will, by Year 9, have missed 1 year of schooling.
- The negative effect of absence on achievement is cumulative over the course of a student’s attendance career.
Downloads
School Education Regulations 2000
Parent Information Sheet - In Term Vacations
SDPS Kindergarten Information Sheet