Your school attendance procedures
Plan your school attendance procedures, using the template provided to detail the required and recommended actions, responsibilities and key resources .
Purpose of resource
The Your School Attendance Procedures resource provides a visual process map to help schools discuss their school attendance procedures, clarify actions and responsibilities, and identify resources.
Target audience
This resource can be used by school leadership teams to support planning for improved attendance.
When and how to use
The appropriate time to use this resource may differ for each school, leader and teacher.
Using school attendance data, school leaders could identify a need and explore the webpage for strategies.
Staff may identify a specific attendance need and explore the webpage for appropriate strategies.
Research base
- Government school student attendance 2019
- Supporting school completion: The importance of engagement and effective teaching
- Improving high school engagement, classroom practices and achievement
- Spotlight: Attendance Matters
- What Works Best
Contact
Email feedback about this resource to attendance@det.nsw.edu.au using subject line, ‘Re: Your School Attendance Procedures – Webpage’.
Alignment to system priorities and/or needs: The Department of Education committed under Our Plan for NSW Public Education, to strengthen student wellbeing and development through increasing attendance rates.
Alignment to School Excellence Framework: Learning Culture - Attendance
Alignment to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Create and Maintain supportive and safe learning environments.
Consulted with: This resource was created by across directorate team with staff from both school based and corporate divisions including the Attendance Policy team, Systems Design and Comms and Engagement.
Reviewed by: Attendance Policy Team
Created/last updated: Originally published September 2020. Last updated July 2022.
To be reviewed: July 2023.
School procedures process map
The School Attendance Policy and procedures are used by schools to inform the day to day actions to manage and promote attendance.
A visual process map is provided to help schools discuss their school attendance procedures, and clarify actions and responsibilites, as well as identifying the key resources required.
School staff can use this to discuss school procedures for scenarios specific to their school context. Once agreed, a copy can be displayed or shared with the relevant audience.
The School Attendance Policy is referred to for further information and where required, schools can contact their attendance support officer for guidance.
How to use the process map
The school attendance team or executive should identify a specific issue or process as a focus for planning.
Download the editable process map template to assist staff detail the planning.
Develop a brief statement explaining the presenting issue.
- Refer to the School Attendance Policy and Guidelines to support planning of the school's actions.
- Explain each action required to respond to the presenting issue.
Consider:
- what action needs to be taken? are there legal and/or policy requirements?
- who is responsible for completing this action?
- when does the action need to occur?
- is there a required timeframe?
- what are the expected outcomes?
You might also:
- reference a specific policy requirement
- include key resources, perhaps hyperlinked for ease of access
- consider contacts to include.
Scenarios
Examples scenarios using the process map are available to assist school staff discussion and planning.
Attendance scenarios
We've created a bank of scenarios for schools, based on frequently asked questions, such as:
The scenarios are examples only, and provide an 'at a glance' visual discussion tool for staff professional learning.
Schools should refer to the School Attendance Policy for further information and where required, contact their attendance support officer.