To apply for early leave, a student must present a note to the Front Office signed by their parent (or carer registered with the school) with a valid reason the day prior or prior to 8:50 am on the day. Email requests will also need to be received by 8:50 am so the student can be attended to at the Office. The school will authorise the leave if it meets the Department of Education guidelines. Students will be issued with a leave pass from the school for the designated time.
The leave request note needs to contain the following information:
- Date and time of the leave
- Reason for the leave (evidence of appointment may be required)
- Supervision and transport arrangements
For medical appointments families should provide a medical certificate to the school for the absence to be justified.
If the leave request does not meet the Department of Education guidelines, or the procedures have not been followed, or the arrangements are considered to be a child protection concern, the parent will need to present to the Front Office to collect their child in person and speak directly with a staff member. In exceptional circumstances the School Office staff will refer the request to a Deputy Principal/Principal to approve arrangements. The school will attempt to contact the parent as soon as possible when leave is not approved. Note that frequent requests for student early leave from school will be addressed through a parent meeting with the school.
A Deputy Principal may not be available to approve the leave requests after 8:50 am. The school does not have the resources to constantly monitor emails in real time and the phone response may be limited. In addition to this, child protection and duty of care concerns, along with the Education Act requirements, mean that students are expected to remain at school unless there are exceptional circumstances.
If there is a family emergency, please call the school and we will support you and your child to make the appropriate arrangements.
Please utilise the following methods by 8:50 am:
- Enter a request into Sentral parent portal . Explain in the comment box the time and the reason. OR
- Email the attendance desk at stives-h.admin@det.nsw.edu.au OR
- Call the office on (02) 9144 1689