Attendance
ABSENCE NOFIFICATION
EMAIL: absences@onslow.school.nz
Phone: (04) 478 8189
Onslow College App: My Portal - Absences - Create an Absence Notification
ATTENDANCE STRATEGIES
Onslow College uses a range of strategies to support and monitor attendance:
- Attendance/Manaakitanga – the first point of contact for absences at any time during the school day
- Early Notification (EN) – The main caregivers will receive a text if a student is marked absent and we have not been notified in advance. The system is designed to send one text per day at the earliest spell absence
- Parent Portal and App – Live data is provided to monitor attendance during the day and to view on-going attendance information
- Ako Teachers follow up unexplained absences and late marks to support students’ attendance at school and keep parents/caregivers informed
- Subject Teachers alert Ako Teachers if a student begins to miss their classes
- Deans follow up attendance which has fallen below Ministry guidelines in order to support students and their parents/caregivers
- Please note that situations can vary between students, and the school will use the best support strategy available in order to help each student achieve full attendance
ATTENDANCE – PARENTAL ROLE
Your student is unwell or has an unavoidable absence |
Advise full or part-day absences each day as early as possible to the contact details above. Medical certificates may be requested for prolonged illness and are critical if Senior students miss an NCEA Internal or External assessment. Contact the Subject Teacher and promptly supply a medical certificate to the Office |
You wish to request leave for family reasons, eg. holiday, sport representation |
It is a Ministry requirement that when students will be absent for a day or more for reasons other than sickness or bereavement, leave is requested from the Principal. Consider NCEA assessment dates for Senior students. Email details of the leave to Sheena Millar at principal@onslow.school.nz for her consideration |
Your student needs to leave early, eg. medical appointment |
Prior notice is needed by the Office for release of Year 9-12’s – see above contact details. Year 13’s can sign out without notice but must provide confirmation of the reason from their caregiver or show an appointment card to the Attendance Officer afterwards |
Your student notifies you that they are sick and wish to leave |
Call the Office to advise that your student will sign out or request that they wait for you in Sickbay |
You receive an Absence Txt (Early Notification) |
Reply to the text, or use the contact details above, either to provide information on the absence or to find out more |
You wish to access Attendance data |
Follow your child’s attendance via live data on the Parent Portal, accessed from the Onslow College Website. Choose “Student Information” then click this icon |
Keeping in touch |
Establish an email contact with your student’s Ako and Subject Teachers, then keep them informed of absences throughout the year |
ATTENDANCE – STUDENT ROLE
Attendance |
Attend ALL your timetabled classes, Ako Times and assemblies. Senior students who have a study spell 3, must attend AKO afterwards. Absences without parental consent will be coded as Truant |
If you miss a class, Ako or assembly |
It is YOUR responsibility to follow this up. Your parent/caregiver must contact the Attendance Officer to provide an explanation of your absence, or a teacher must provide written explanation for the absence to the teacher of the missed class |
Late Arrival |
If you arrive late to school for any reason you must sign in at the Attendance Office and take a Late Slip to class |
Early Departure |
Year 9-12 students may not leave school during the day without notice from their parent/caregiver. Students with permission must sign out at the Attendance Office, and sign in upon return. Year 13’s may sign themselves out but then must provide a reason afterwards from their parent/caregiver if they miss timetabled classes |
Sickness during the day |
If you are unwell during the day, tell your spell teacher and then report to the Office. Your parent/caregiver will be contacted while you are in Sickbay. If you arrange directly with your parent to be collected, ask them to call ahead to the Office so you can sign out promptly. You must wait in Sickbay until a call is received |
Principal Approved Leave |
If you are granted leave of absence from the Principal, it is your responsibility to inform all your Teachers as soon as the leave is confirmed. Teachers are not obliged to provide work during this time. Ensure you will not miss any NCEA Assessments |
Medical Certificates |
If you are absent due to illness and will miss an NCEA Assessment, inform your Subject Teacher and provide a dated medical certificate to the Office |
Student Portal and App |
Follow your attendance marks on the Student Portal or see an overview on the Onslow App. Promptly follow up any absences with explanations to the Teacher and provide parental verification to the Attendance Officer for any time off |
ATTENDANCE – AKO TEACHER ROLE
- Ako Teachers ask students to explain any Unexplained Absences (?) and Lates (L), and any marked drop in attendance (be aware Deans pick up student attendance 85% and below)
- Ako Teachers will contact parents/caregivers with any concerns and if there are THREE unexplained absences
- Contact with home will continue if absences or lateness continues to be a problem, but if still no change, it will be followed by a referral to the Dean. Behaviour Noteliaison between the Ako Teacher and Dean throughout is best practice
- The Dean will contact parents and meet with the student (and Ako Teacher if it is possible) – and together all will decide on a plan to improve attendance
- If there is no improvement, the student will be referred to Coordination Hui Meeting to decide on best outside agencies referral support (Attendance Services, Central Regional Health School, Child Adolescent Mental Health Services, Strengthening Families, Alternative Education, Te Ara, and others as appropriate)
- Subject Teachers will let parents know via Behaviour Notes if their lateness or amount of absences is impacting on their progress and learning. They will cc the Ako Teacher, Dean and Deputy Principal
- If Subject Teachers do this, it quickly sends a message to Ako Teacher, Dean and DP of a concerning trend across subjects
ATTENDANCE – SUBJECT TEACHER ROLE
- Subject Teachers will let parents know via Behaviour Notes if their lateness or amount of absences is impacting on their progress and learning. They will cc the Ako Teacher, Dean and Deputy Principal
- If Subject Teachers do this, it quickly sends a message to Ako Teacher, Dean and DP of a concerning trend across subjects