Rules and policies

Rules and policies are in place to make sure your child remains safe and well at school.

Visit the NSW Department of Education’s policy library for all current operational policies.

Our school uses the department's School Community Charter to ensure all of our communication is collaborative and respectful.

Attendance and absences

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

In NSW, all children from the age of 6 are legally required to attend school or be registered for home schooling through the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). All students must complete Year 10, or its equivalent.

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.

For more information about compulsory school attendance, visit:

Kirrawee High School Attendance Procedures

If a student is absent from school without a legitimate reason, an SMS will be sent to the parent/carer’s mobile phone on the day of the absence.

Parents are required to explain absences within 7 days of the first day of a student's absence. Whole day absences can be explained via an email, phone call, replying to the SMS, via a letter on return to school or through the parent portal. Absences greater than 4 days will be recorded as "Unjustified" until a medical certificate or other supporting documentation is received.

Documentation can be emailed or provided on return to school when the roll will be updated to approved leave. All written notes are to be placed in the white mail box outside on the main office.

If you know prior that your child will be absent, please email a note to explain the intended absence.

The Department of Education no longer allows exemptions to be given for family holidays during term. Absence for this reason may be classified as 'Unjustified'. For Family Holidays greater than 4 days, completion of an extended leave travel form is required. In this instance, the absence may be recorded as 'Explained, Leave'.

Application extended leave (PDF 284.54 KB)

Kirrawee High School supports students who undertake elite non-school co-curricular activities in sport, the arts or other endeavours. In these cases, an exemption form must be submitted 7 days before the absence. With approved exemptions, leave is noted as 'Explained', 'Exempt' on the official attendance roll.

Exemption form (PDF 255.01 KB)

Late arrival

Late arrival should be avoided due to its disruptive effect on lessons and the school routine. A late student must report to the office on arrival at school and provide a note explaining the reason. Not all reasons may be deemed as acceptable and in some cases may be recorded as unjustified partial absence (example 'slept in'). If a student arrives late, Years 7 – 10 report to Reception and Years 11 – 12 report to the Administration Office. Students arriving late will be issued with a late note that will allow them to be admitted to class for remaining periods. Students who are late to school three times in a term will be placed on a lunch detention. Continual lateness may result in parents being contacted and the student being placed on Thursday afternoon detention. Due to the impact of continual lateness on learning, a student may be marked as 'Unjustified' on the Attendance Roll, irrespective of parent/carer explanations.

Leaving early

It is expected that a student attends school for the entire day. In cases where a student is unable to attend due to a specialist appointment or other reasons, students must obtain an early leave pass. Students may be asked by authorities for authorisation when offsite out of school hours. Notes seeking permission to be excused from school for legitimate reasons are to be taken to the Head Teacher Student Management office at recess (10:10-10:30 am). As with all notes the student’s name and roll class should be placed on the top left hand side of the note. The note must have a specific reason for a student’s absence from school. Appointment or family issues will not be accepted as reasons and will be marked as 'unjustified' on the student’s record of attendance. It is a requirement by the Department that students have a specific and legitimate reason for leave to be approved. If a student does not report with a note explaining their early leave request, parents/carers will be required to personally sign out their child. Due to safety reasons, phone calls will not be accepted.

Sport attendance

Students are expected to attend and participate in sport (DoE policy) and therefore any inability to satisfy this requirement must be explained by a parent. In these cases, students must remain at school and be supervised in a non-sport group. It is expected that medical and other appointments will be made wherever possible at times outside school hours, including sport. If this is not possible, an appointment notice or similar documentation from the provider is required to justify the absence.

Please note: leave request on sport afternoons will be recorded as 'Unjustified' if sufficient documentation is not provided.

School frameworks (school rules)

As well as following the department’s operational policies, we have developed frameworks for our students in line with our school’s values and commitments.