Absences & Late Arrivals

Every day of school matters, and so does knowing where every child is. The College is required to record and follow up all absences, so we ask families to let us know before 9:00am whenever a student will be away, late or leaving early. It takes under a minute through the Parent Portal, and it saves the office a phone call — and you an SMS.

Three ways to report an absence

Please report before 9:00am on each day of absence, or once for a known block of days (for example, Monday 31 August to Wednesday 2 September 2026). Reasons are recorded as illness, medical appointment, family, religious/cultural or other.

What happens if you don't

• At 9:30am the Portal automatically sends an SMS to the primary contact of any student marked absent without explanation: "St Mary's College: [name] has been marked absent today. Reply to this SMS with the reason."
• Simply reply to the SMS and the absence is recorded. If no response is received by 11:00am, the office will phone you.
• Absences that remain unexplained after three school days are recorded as unexplained on the student's file and may be raised by the year level coordinator.

Late arrival

Repeated unexplained lateness is followed up by the year level coordinator. If a late arrival is due to an appointment, please note it via the Portal beforehand so it is recorded as explained.

Leaving early

1. Note the early leave in the Portal (Attendance > Report absence > Partial day) or send a written note with the student that morning.
2. Come to the Junior Office or Senior Office at the agreed time. Junior students are called from class and handed over there — please do not go directly to classrooms.
3. Senior students sign out at the kiosk; students in Years 11–12 may leave independently with parent permission recorded on the Portal.

The safest collection times are the start of recess (10:45am Junior / 10:55am Senior) or lunch (1:15pm / 1:20pm).

Appointments

Where possible, please book medical and dental appointments outside 8:40am–3:25pm, or on the Wednesday 2:45pm early finish for Senior students. A short partial-day absence is far better than a full day away.

Extended leave (five or more school days)

Family holidays in term time are discouraged, and the College cannot provide work for the period. If it is unavoidable:

• Write to the Head of School — Ms Priya Natarajan (Junior) or Mr Tom Brennan (Senior) — via office@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au at least two weeks before the leave.
• Include dates, reason and a plan for reading or study while away.
• Senior students must speak with each subject teacher beforehand; the Assessment & Reporting rules apply to missed tasks.

Illness during assessments and exams (Senior)

A medical certificate is required for any absence that falls on a scheduled assessment task or during an exam period (for example, Year 11 Exams Monday 7 to Friday 11 September 2026 or Year 12 Practice Exams). Provide it to the Senior Office within two school days of returning. Without one, the task is recorded as not submitted. See Exam Timetables 2026.

Situation → what to do

For the full attendance framework, including what counts as an approved absence, see the Attendance Policy.