Attendance is compulsory if a child is enrolled in primary school, including Kindergarten and Pre Primary students. All absences from school must be explained, either by text, in writing, by a phone call or in person as soon as possible after the child returns to school. A brief note is required to explain all absences. Frequent absences from school can have a negative impact on the achievement of your child. For this reason, the school carefully monitors the attendance of all students to ensure that they are not becoming at risk due to non-attendance.
Absences where families choose to remove students from school for periods of time can cause significant disruption to the class and teachers concerned. As these absences do not always meet the criteria legally defined for children missing school, we encourage parents to consider carefully the perceived benefits of such action for the child.
SMS Communications for students unexplained absences and late arrivals
Kingsley Primary School uses a Short Message Service (SMS) to send text messages to parents/guardians/caregivers to notify them of an unexplained absence or late arrival of their child.
Parents will be informed by mobile phone SMS each time their child is absent when an explanation has not already been provided to the school. If your child is absent and a reason has been provided before the time the SMS is due to be sent, you will not receive a text message. SMS is also used to provide information to parents about school community events.
This system has been shown to assist in making schools (and parents) more aware of where students are and improve student attendance. These factors will enhance learning opportunities for all students and contribute to their safety.
Frequently asked questions about SMS communications
As a parent, what do I need to do?
Please call the school on 9234 3800 or text on 0408 947 335 well before the set SMS sending time which will be 9:45am every day. If you do not contact the school, the SMS system will automatically send you a text message advising you that your child is not at school.
How do I reply to an SMS message from the school?
When you receive an SMS about an absence, reply to the number and make sure that the text includes the student name, date of absence and reason for absence. Do not call the number, as it is an automated system using a virtual number.
Sample SMS Reply Message: Jane Citizen, 11 Feb, Sick
What will it cost me?
Standard SMS charges apply, depending on your mobile phone carrier and plan. The cost of an SMS is usually cheaper than a local telephone call.
What if my mobile number changes?
Please notify the school immediately if your mobile number changes.
What if there is a custodial order preventing contact?
The parent/guardian with legal custody of the child must provide evidence to the school in the form of a court order for the school to legally deny a parent/guardian access to any information about their child.