New figures reveal more than 350 public schools had attendance rates fall below 80 per cent in the first two terms of 2022,while some schools in the city’s south-west and outer western suburbs recorded among the steepest declines.
Windsor High School has lifted its attendance rate by 15 per cent since last year after the school set up a rewards program to encourage students back to class. Pictured are principal Jennifer Hawken with students.Louise Kennerley
Soaring absences have prompted education officials to call out the rapid rise in “unjustified” or unexplained time off that led students to miss millions of school days last year. More than 505,000 days were missed by public primary students that were marked as unjustified - where pupils are absent without a valid reason.
“Students who miss just one day of school a fortnight will miss the equivalent of an entire year of learning at the end of their school careers,” NSW Education Minister Prue Car said.
The state government last week launched an ad blitz to try to boost attendance,urging parents to cut back on family trips taken during term and to reduce days off due to pressure from students or convenience.
While a rise in sick days due to COVID and flu and widespread flooding in some areas was behind the large variation and high rates of absenteeism last year,principals warn plunging attendance is part of a national absenteeism trend.
Data shows that public schools in Sydney’s north – including Ryde and Hornsby – reported the highest average attendance rates above 90 per cent in the first half of 2022,but more than a dozen schools in Sydney’s south-west and western suburbs and on the Central Coast had attendance rates dip to below 75 per cent.
Attendance falling below 80 per cent means students are missing about a month of school in a year.
Unjustified absences in primary schools increased by 70 per cent from the previous year,these included days skipped without an exemption,families taking holidays during term time or students missing class for sport or other activities not approved by their school.
Craig Petersen,head of the Secondary Principals Council,said the reasons students miss school varied,but some parents “are turning a blind eye,knowing there may be no consequences if their child misses school”.
“Attendance rates haven’t recovered. Going to school every day is critical as the cumulative effect of missing classes can increase the chances a student struggles academically.”
Teacher shortages are also contributing to pupils missing school days,NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said.
“If students are spending time in libraries or halls when there is no teacher to take a class that can mean pupils are less likely to go to school. It can mean the most disadvantaged students are missing out even more,” he said.
Schools that had the highest attendance rates were selective high schools in affluent areas,while overall public all-girls high schools had slightly better attendance levels than boys schools.
Principals say breakfast clubs and providing buses to pick up chronically absent students has been shown to lift attendance,while punitive measures are less likely to be effective.
At Windsor High,in the city’s north-west,the school’s attendance rates have improved from 71 per cent at the end of last year to almost 86 per cent this term.
“Attendance went from something we rarely spoke about to something we discussed all the time,in class,in assemblies,at every single opportunity. It’s just been relentless focus,” principal Jennifer Hawken said.
The school was affected by devastating floods early last year,closing at least twice and cancelling in-person classes,she said. At least 10 families lost their homes and possessions.
“There were so many challenges. We had low attendance rates and lack of engagement,students were anxious about coming to school in case the roads were closed again.
“But we’ve worked hard – teachers,school leaders,our student support officer,school councillors,a mental health nurse and chaplains – to be able to get attendance back,” she said.
The school set up an attendance rewards program,with free ice blocks,barbecues and class parties for a class or year group that reported improvements.
“And at the beginning of each term,students identify their attendance goal,and that’s monitored by roll-call teachers regularly,” she said.
“We have a large whiteboard in the office where we record attendance each day ... Fridays are always a challenge. But we do Facebook posts,weekly assembly reminders and[offer] free school uniform items - including jumpers - every morning.”
The strategies are working,and the school is recording attendance rates above those reported in 2019.
Data released by the Australian Curriculum,Assessment and Reporting Authority last month revealed that in private schools attendance rates dropped to their lowest level last year,with 52 per cent of high school students attending 90 per cent of the time. For Catholic secondary school students it was 44 per cent.
In public schools 38 per cent of high students attended 90 per cent of the time.
Flinders University education researcher Nigel Howard said students who struggled with literacy were more likely to miss class while another cohort of students are school refusers,so crippled by anxiety they did not attend.
“For students from more affluent backgrounds missing school is not going to have the same effect as those who don’t have the same educational support.”
With Nigel Gladstone
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