Attendance

1 Introduction

Following this guidance will assist principals and authorised persons to implement attendance practices that are consistent with legislation, the binding Ministerial Guidelines, and department policy.

This guidance:

• provide advice to Victorian government and non-government schools, parents of compulsory school-aged children, and School Attendance Officers
• supports schools and School Attendance Officers to meet their responsibilities and duties under the Ministerial School Attendance Guidance, Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) and the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic).

The guidance includes:

• strategies to encourage high levels of school attendance and how to improve attendance where an issue is identified
• an explanation of the legal requirements of school-age children to attend school, and the processes required to approve or exempt their attendance
• procedures for schools to monitor, identify, approve, record and follow up student attendance to meet the requirements of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) and the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic)
• an explanation of the procedures a School Attendance Officer will follow as required by the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic), and the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic)
• advice for School Attendance Officers to assist their decision making when a parent has not met their obligations regarding compulsory school education for their child

Note:

Terms in this document have the same definition as in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic). Thus, unless specifically defined otherwise, the term "parent" includes a guardian and every person who has parental responsibility for the child including parental responsibility under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) and any person with whom a child normally or regularly resides.