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:

Attendance Booklet ^{_{MAR 2023}}
Attendance Notice ^_MAR 2023
Attendance Ladder Image ^{_{MAR 2023}}
Every Day Counts Image ^{_{MAR 2023}}

SMS Absence Explanation

Parents/carers will receive SMS messages to advise of whole day and partial student absenteeism. Parent/Carers can utilise this SMS service to reply to an absentee SMS notification received from the school to provide explanation of an absence.

Important points to note:

explanation of an absence should be provided to the school within a period of seven days
if you are unable to reply to the school using the SMS service, a note of explanation should be provided
if you anticipate that your child will be absent for more than five days, depending on the circumstances, you will either be required to provide a Doctor's Certificate (for illness/injury) or make application to the Principal for exemption from attendance (family holiday)

Alternate options:

There are a number of alternate options available to advise of your child's absence from school:

call administration 02 4969 3177 and information can be taken over the telephone
provide a handwritten letter of explanation
email the school newcastle-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Please contact the administration office if you have further queries about the SMS service.