Principal’s Report
Every Day Counts
Primary School Attendance
Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.
School is better when your child is there
Why it’s important
We all want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day.
If students miss school regularly, they miss out on learning the fundamental skills that will set them up for success in the later years of school.
There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes.
Each missed day is associated with progressively lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading.
Getting in early
Attendance patterns are established early – a child regularly missing days in kindergarten or in the early years of school will often continue to miss classes in the later years, and receive lower test scores than their classmates.
It’s vital that students go to school every day – even in the early years of primary school.
In Victoria school is compulsory for children and young people aged 6 -17 years
Student Absences
The main reasons for absence are:
Sickness – There are always times when students need to miss school, such as when they’re ill. It’s vital that they’re only away on the days they are genuinely sick, and developing good sleep patterns, eating well and exercising regularly can make a big difference.
Family holidays – It’s vital that holidays are planned during school holidays where possible, and not during the term. If you are planning to go on holiday during term time, make sure that you talk to your child’s school in advance, and work with them to develop an absence learning plan.
“Day off” – Think twice before letting your child have a “day off” as they could fall behind their classmates – every day counts.
Truancy – This is when students choose not to go to school without their parent’s permission. There can be many reasons for truancy. The best way to address this is for schools and parents to work together.
School refusal – School refusing children will experience significant emotional distress not only when going to school but also at the thought of going to school; they may be absent from school for weeks or even months at a time. School refusal differs from truancy as children generally stay home with the knowledge of the parents and despite their best efforts to encourage their child to go to school. See: My child or teenager has anxiety
Being away from school for one day a fortnight equals missing 1.5 years over 13 years of school
Remember, every day counts. If your child must miss school, speak with your classroom teacher as early as possible. Openly communicating with your child’s school about all absences is a good way to prevent attendance issues being escalated to a School Attendance Officer. A School Attendance Officer is a Department of Education and Training Regional Director who has authority to follow up attendance issues. Chronic or ongoing attendance issues that are escalated can lead to an Infringement Notice being issued to parent/s.
If you’re having attendance issues with your child, please let your classroom teacher know so we can work together to get your child to school every day.
Top attendance tips for parents
- Schools want to work in partnership with parents – act early if you have any concerns by contacting your child’s school and asking for advice and support
- Remember that every day counts
- There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness
- Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day
- Open and prompt communication with your child’s school about all absences is a good idea
- Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term
- Seek help from your school if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and wellbeing. Schools want to work in partnership with parents to support student attendance and wellbeing.
Further information
For more information and resources to help address attendance issues, visit:
Emma Clark
Principal
This Week…
Star of the week!
Exciting Grade 6 Sporting Achievements This Week…
We look forward to welcoming grandparents and special friends to Emerald Primary School on Thursday 13th August from 11.30am – 1.00pm. This is always a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their learning, classrooms and school with some of the important people in their lives.
Please RSVP via this link to help us with numbers for the sausage sizzle:
https://forms.gle/r22t2xCBkMz1ZR1d8
If anyone is able to help on the barbecue next week, please sign up via this link:
https://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/ijmbd
Thank you!
Census data collection 2026
The Australian Government Department of Education would like to advise all staff, parents, guardians and students (where applicable) that it will collect certain information about our school, its staff and student body as part of the non-government schools census collection (the census) and special circumstance applications.
Food Boxes Available
In addition to the breakfast food we receive from the Food Bank, we have recently received a number of food boxes containing a variety of pantry essentials, including tinned foods, fruit cups, cereal, long-life milk, soups and rice.
If your family would benefit from a food box, please visit the school office to collect one. All enquiries will be treated with care and respect, and boxes are available while supplies last.
Found Keys
This set of keys was found on the school oval on Monday, 27 July.
If you believe they may be yours, please contact the office to collect them.
Upcoming Events…
Community News
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we learn and play, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation.
