Why it’s good to go to school every day

on track

more likely to stay on track and progress academically

social

take part in social and learning activities organised by the school

connected

more likely to have stronger social and peer connections

life skills

learn positive life skills

safe

safe in the care of staff with access to support and services when needed

full potential

reach their full potential and have a range of opportunities in life

 

What happens if your child misses a day of learning

Learning is a progressive activity. Each lesson builds on the next lesson.

What your child learns today will help them with what they learn tomorrow.

Missing days or parts of days creates gaps. A child might miss out on important learning information or social activities and experiences.

Each day away from school or preschool makes it harder for your child to keep up.

Research shows that going to school or preschool every day, improves a child’s life and future.

 

Missed days add up – kindergarten and school

If your child often misses kindergarten, it can lead to a pattern of missing school too. These patterns can be very hard to change.

Missing 1 day of school a fortnight adds up to missing 1 year of school, by the time a child reaches year 10.

A child can fall behind after missing 1 or 2 days of school.

If they miss more days it’s even harder to keep up.

Research shows that when children miss school often, it affects them later in life. It can mean a child:

• has poor physical and mental health
• experiences poverty
• is more likely to be involved in the criminal justice system.

What the law says

Under Western Australian law (School Education Act 1999), parents must send their child to school unless:

They are unwell

They have an infectious disease

The principal is provided with a genuine and acceptable reason.

You must let the school know within 3 days why your child is not attending school.

Please support your child by advising the school of non-attendance and by ensuring that your child attends regularly. If there are any issues that impact upon your child’s attendance please contact the school so that we are able to support you.