Attendance, attendance, attendance...

Our latest attendance statistics for Term One make for interesting reading. It is clear to see that the majority, approximately two-thirds or more of our students attend at least 80% of the time. However, 80% still represents two full days per fortnight that students are not in class. If any business reported a 20% reduction in inputs or productivity there would be serious concerns. And yes, we do have some concerns.

It would be easy to say that it's a nationwide problem and that parts of society have changed and it's harder to get kids to school these days. In my opinion, that's an easy out.  While I have sympathy for those families experiencing trauma in their lives, making sure students attend school is one of the most important parts of parenting. 

We are very grateful to the parents and extended family that come in and meet with us, having at times, hard conversations about what is happening at school. 

What these figures don't tell you, is that while students might be at school, they are choosing not to be in class.  At times this is not consistent, but a random decision. What disappoints me most is that those students that do choose to miss class see this as the easy option, when in fact it actually makes life harder in the long run.

Please take notice of the attendance rates that are part of the three-weekly engagement reports. 

We continually try support our students to be more resilient, find ways to get them through what the they think is the hard stuff and ultimately provide a pathway into employment and making a positive contribution to society. 

Being in class, every class is the first step to academic success. It cannot be underestimated how important that is.