Absences

Parents are required to ensure that their child/ren of compulsory school age (6 years-17 years old) is:

1. Enrolled at, and attends, a government or registered non-government school; OR
2. Is registered for home schooling.

It is an offence under the Education Act if a parent fails to meet this duty. Once enrolled, children are required to attend school each day it is open for students.

Attending school regularly, as well as arriving at school and class on time:

• Ensures that students do not miss out on important learning activities
• Helps students learn the importance of punctuality and routine
• Creates a space to improve and strengthen social connections
• Improves their wellbeing.

The Covie App allows you to approve absences* from your mobile. You no longer need to email or call the school or send in a note, if you will be approving the absence via the App.

At approximately 5.00pm on the day your child is absent**, you will receive a notification (providing you've enabled notifications) asking you to provide an explanation for the absence. Once you've opened the App, click on the Absences button and select the applicable child who has been absent (see third screen below). Click 'Submit absence explanation' and select the date of absence, then select a reason for the absence from the drop down menu. You will also need to provide a simple explanation. Click submit.

Only ONE parent needs to submit an absence (even though both parents will receive the notification via the App).

*The Education Act 1990 requires you to ensure your child attends school each day that instruction is provided unless they are prevented from doing so by sickness or other acceptable reason, and for you to provide an explanation for any absence. The Act requires you to explain your child’s absences within seven days of the occurrence. Failure to do so will result in an unjustified absence being recorded. Please provide an explanation via the Covie App. If you have any concerns that our records are incorrect, please contact the school immediately.

**If parents have already emailed the school with an explanation for the absence, you will NOT get an absence notification via the app as the Office will have already verified the absence.

Please see our Student Attendance Policy for more details.

Prep

• Arriving Late - Proceed directly to Prep to drop off your child.
• Leaving Early - Proceed directly to Prep to collect your child. It will be helpful to advise the Prep teacher of your plans for early collection.

Kindergarten to Year 2

• Arriving Late - Students should go to Student Reception in the Office where they will be given a late slip to take to their class teacher. Parents should provide a note from home, an email to admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au sent prior to arrival, or accompany their child to the Office.
• Leaving Early - Parents should sign in at Parent Reception at the main office, proceed to the classroom to collect their child, then escort them to Student Reception in the Office where they will be signed out.

Years 3 to 6

• Arriving Late - Students should go to Student Reception in the Office where they will be given a late slip to take to their class teacher. Parents should provide a note from home, an email to admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au sent prior to arrival, or accompany their child to the Office.
• Leaving Early - Students should sign out at Student Reception in the Office. Parents should email admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au prior to their child's early departure. This will be forwarded to the relevant teacher. Alternatively, parents can meet their child at Student Reception to sign them out. Students will not be allowed to leave school early without a note, email, or parent present.

Years 7 to 10

• Arriving Late - Upon arrival, students should go directly to Student Reception in the Office and sign in. It is the student’s responsibility to organise and provide the school with a note from their parents to explain their late arrival. This note may be emailed by a parent directly to admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au prior to arrival or by the start of the following school day. Alternatively, a parent may accompany their child to the Office to sign the sign-in slip on the day of the late arrival. If a note or email is not received by the start of the following school day, the student will receive a lunchtime detention.
• Leaving Early - Students must go to Student Reception in the Office and sign out. Parents should provide a note from home, an email to admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au sent prior to departure, or meet their child at Student Reception to sign the sign out slip. Students will not be allowed to leave school early without a note, email, or parent present.

Years 11 to 12

• Arriving Late - Students may arrive late if they have study periods first thing in the morning providing they have returned their Year 11-12 Agreement. Students must still go directly to Student Reception in the Office and sign in. If a student is arriving late and has missed classes, they should go directly to Student Reception and sign in. A note from home or an email to admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au should be sent prior to arrival.
• Leaving Early - Students may leave early if they have study periods at the end of the day providing they have returned their Year 11-12 Agreement. Students must still go directly to the Student Reception Office and sign out. If a student is leaving early and missing classes, they will require a note from home or an email to admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au sent prior to departure, before being allowed to sign out. This will be forwarded to the relevant teacher/s.

The Planned Absence form is to be completed if there is a planned absence of up to 4 days (e.g. holidays of less than 5 days, planned medical procedure etc).

If you are planning to take 5 days or more for a family holiday then an Application for Extended Leave - Travel Form needs to be completed prior to the time of intended leave. Parents must give the school sufficient notice - preferably at least two weeks.

The Parental Application for Exemption - Elite Arts or Elite Sports or Employment in the Entertainment Industry form is to be completed for any leave in these categories of an absence greater than half a day. It is to be requested prior to the time of intended leave.

Elite Arts or Elite Sports refers to national/international sports events, elite programs run by national and international organisations, or talent identification programs run by NSW Department of Sport and Recreation.

The Parental Application for Exemption - Extended Leave for Medical/Ill Health form is to be completed to apply for leave in exceptional circumstances relating to medical/ill health.

If you've already emailed admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au to advise the school that your child was absent, the Office will have verified the absence already - there is nothing more you need to do!

Otherwise, there may have been an error with our roll marking. Please email admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au so we can sort this out for you.

How frustrating! Please email admin@covenant.nsw.edu.au and let us know so we can sort this out for you.