Compulsory school attendance
Regular attendance at school is essential for students to achieve quality life outcomes. Schools, in partnership with parents, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students.
The School Attendance Policy sets out the requirements for the attendance of students in NSW government schools.
Parents or carers of children of compulsory school age are responsible for ensuring their child attends school every day. Children must commence school by age 6 and then complete year 10.
More information on compulsory school attendance is available below. (Note: these resources do not currently meet WCAG 2.0 accessibility requirements. Please contact Attendance to request alternative copies).
Attendance and absences
Parents of children from Kindergarten to Year 12 must ensure their children attend school every day. On occasion, your child may need to be absent from school. Justified reasons for student absences may include:
- being sick or having an infectious disease
- having an unavoidable medical appointment
- being required to attend a recognised religious holiday
- exceptional or urgent family circumstances e.g. attending a funeral.
Parents must provide an explanation for absences to the school within 7 days from the first day of any period of absence. Where an explanation has not been received within the 7-day timeframe, the school will record the absence as unjustified on the student's record.
Late Arrival & Early Departure
Passfield Park school hours are from 8.45am to 3.00pm each day. It is an expectation that students are at school by 9.00am. After this time all gates will be closed and locked. In the event a student arrives after 9am or leaves before 2:45pm the following procedures will be followed:
Student arrival after 9.00am
- Parents/carers are to park in the car park and walk their child to the office
- Alternatively, parents/carers may have access to drive through to the vehicle drop off point, park for a maximum of 5 minutes and walk their child to the front office
- Students will be marked as late by office staff
- Parents/carers must give a reason for their child’s late arrival to school, in adherence with DoE Attendance Policy requirements
- Parents/carers are to wait with their child whilst office staff contact classroom and request the SLSO to escort or observe the student to the classroom.
Student departure before 2.45pm
- Parents/carers are requested to park in the car park and walk up to the office
- Alternatively, parents/carers may have access to drive through to the vehicle pick-up point, park for a maximum of 5 minutes and walk to the front office
- Students will be marked as leaving early by the office staff
- Parents/carers must give a reason for their child’s early departure from school, in adherence with DoE Attendance Policy requirements
- Parents/carers are to wait whilst office staff contact classroom and request the SLSO to escort or observe the student to the office