Attendance Matters

What To Do and Who To Call/Email

Communicating with our school

When a student is sick/unwell

Enter an absence into Sentral parent portal (Sentral/Absences) OR
Email the attendance desk at stives-h.admin@det.nsw.edu.au OR
Call the office on (02) 9144 1689

Please send in a Medical Certificate for absences of more than 3 days.

When a student is arriving late to school

Enter a request into Sentral parent portal (Sentral/Absences/Medical) OR
Email the attendance desk at stives-h.admin@det.nsw.edu.au OR
Call the office on (02) 9144 1689

Students needs to sign into the office whenever they arrive. They will be issued a "timed ticket" to take to their teacher.

NOTE: If they do not sign into the office first, they will be sent back to the office by the teacher to correctly sign in and an "Absence Notification" will be sent to the parent/s if there is no prior explanation.

Please send an "Explanation Note" to the attendance by either of the methods above.

When a student needs to leave early for an appointment

It is preferred that all appointments are organised outside school hours. But we understand that this is sometimes not possible. We ask that you notify the school beforehand (at the latest the day before) by the following methods:

Enter a request into Sentral parent portal (Sentral/Absences/Medical or Family Holiday). 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

When a Year 11 or 12 is unwell/away before or during Assessment/Exam Period

Please review the following booklets for more information:

Year 11 2025 Assessment Policy & Schedule (coming to you in early 2025)
HSC/Year 12 2024 Assessment Policy, Guidelines & Schedules 2024-2025

Illness/Misadventure Information and Forms

Illness and Misadventure Forms for Years 11 and 12 During Exam Times (PDF 209.22 KB)

Help with Completing Absent Notes in Another Language

Translated documents available here.

Sports Carnival and Excursion

These are regarded as an important part of the school educational program and all students are expected to be at school regardless of the change of routine.

A satisfactory explanation must be provided by parents or guardians for all student absences. Parents or guardians can notify St Ives High School of their student’s absence by:

Calling the school office on the morning concerned (school hours are 8:30am-3:30pm), or
Responding to the attendance SMS sent by St Ives High School (see below), or
Respond to the Sentral Parent App notification on their device, or
Providing a letter written by a parent or guardian on the first day of a student’s return to school. This note must be written in full by the student’s parent or guardian. This note is to be handed to administration staff at the front office.

Grade Sport and Wet Weather

Thursday Grade Sport Wet Weather (Years 9-10)

Students in Years 9-10 attend Grade Sport on Thursdays, every week. In cases of Wet Weather and Sports Grounds Closures/Cancellations, the students in these years attend indoor school activities until when they are dismissed.

Extended Leave and Absence During School Time

General Information and Guidelines

For all Extended Leave requests (Travel Leave), parents/carers must first email the office at stives-h.admin@det.nsw.edu.au at least 1 month prior to travelling.

A staff member will be in contact upon receiving your request.

Information and Guidelines for Year 11 and 12 Students

For more information:

Year 11 and 12 students first come to the front office to collect a Green Form. They need to take this Green Form to their Stage 6 Head Teacher (in main Admin Building) before seeing their subject teachers.

Please note that Extended Leave for years 11 and 12 will be marked as "Explained but Unjustified Leave" (unless approved) which affects a student's overall attendance percentage.

Handling Absences (Policy)

More information can be found on our website by visiting Handling Absences.

Why Attendance Matters

Regular attendance at school is essential for students to achieve quality life outcomes. Schools, in partnership with parents, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students.

Compulsory School Attendance Information for Parents

Students must attend school regularly so they can achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options.

Young people below the age of 17 who have completed Year 10 must be:

in school, or registered for home schooling
in approved education or training, such as a traineeship, apprenticeship or TAFE
in full-time paid employment (average 25 hours a week)
in a combination of work, education and/or training (average of 25 hours a week combined).

Students 17 years and over who are enrolled in school must attend school regularly to meet HSC course requirements.

As a parent or carer, you are responsible for ensuring your child attends school every day when they are of compulsory school age. You must explain all absences to the school within 7 days.