The Department of Education has launched a State-wide film competition for all students from Kindergarten to Year 12 to raise awareness off the importance of attendance at school.
The Department said schools and students could participate in the competition by submitting a class entry, films from individual students or from groups of students.
It said that through the competition’s theme, Make Every Day Count, schools and students should explore all the possible reasons why attendance was important and what reasons could cause poor attendance.
“Schools and students are encouraged to create films that address the issue of attendance in schools and how this can impact the student – socially, academically and personally,” the Department said.
“The overall picture of school attendance in Australia is generally good,” it said.
“Year One to 10 students attend, on average, 92 per cent of ‘available school days’ in Australia.”
The Department said there were still areas of concern, including that 25 per cent of Australian school students attended less than 90 per cent of school days.
“This adds up to 20 or more days absent in a school year,” it said.
“At this rate, after 13 years of school, it’s equates to more than 260 school days lost or more than five terms.”
The Department said that according to the report Attendance Matters by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s (AITSL), absenteeism could increase social isolation, including alienation and lack of engagement with peers, and lead to emotional and behavioural difficulties.
It said all films had to have the approval of the school principal and must be submitted before 28 May.
Further information on the Department’s film competition, including how to enter the competition, can be accessed at this PS News link and the AITSL’s 18-page Attendance Matters Report at this link.
